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of a Virginia company, condemned to a regime of bread 

 and water, instead of Madeira punch, prairie chicken 

 and quail, as of yore. My luxurious campaigning seems 

 now like the dreamy shadow of pleasures past, though 

 not forgotten. In this lonesome French dungeon shall 

 a descendant of Montrose give away to despair ? Never, 

 never ! Ah ! sweet hours of my childhood, ye are indeed 

 far away. Dear old Glasgow, the Elysium of my youth, 

 dare I recall thy cherished memories ? On the eve of 

 closing my career, I can well retrace how it began. 

 When a roving school-boy, I was playing the soldier, 

 mustering and drilling my noisy squad of schoolmates, 

 little did I then dream what life's realities had in store 

 for me ! And you, my dear old relative, who taught 

 me so early to live and die like a man, let me waft you 

 my blessing across the broad Atlantic. John Mitchell, 

 my sire, my early friend, I shall not die unworthy of 

 you. I thank you for having nerved my arm and inspired 

 my young heart with your thrilling stories of Bruce 

 and Wallace, always closing your gentle advice with a 

 request that I should remember that I was a descen- 

 dant of James Graham, the great Earl of Montrose. 



Yes, George, I shall never forget my grandfather's 

 parting words, when I left Scotland for my adoptive 

 country — for America. " Bob," said he, " my boy, watch 

 the grand, the stern features in that picture on the 

 wall ; see the eye following you ! Do you know what 

 that great man lived for ? He lived for his country ; he 

 left an undying fame as a soldier. Be worthy of him ! 

 His name was Montrose ; some of his blood courses in 

 your veins." I have no hesitation, my dear George, in 

 this solemn moment to recall to you these family 

 memories — to you, whose life has ever been inspired by 

 similar sentiments. This is Christmas day, George. 

 Twenty-one such days have revolved for you — twenty- 

 eight, forme. We have both seen death on the battle- 

 field, and Indian warfare has m^re that once added to 

 it additional horrors, but neither you nor I ever shrank 



