Memphis Daily Appeal

Some Scraps of History Hitherto Unwritten.

A correspondent of the British Mail writing from the Sweetwater (Wyoming) mining district, gives the following amusing accounts of his interview with an exile of Scotia:

Among the choice spirits of the camp I remember one little fellow of diminutive stature but genial temper who hailed from Caledonia, and who had something in his manner remotely suggestive of Mr. Simon Tappertit. From him, as an authority on matters connected with Scottish history, I learned some astonishing facts touching the present Queen of England and the venerable iron crown. The following incident has probably been omitted by Victoria in her memoirs, and I am happy to be able to supply it. The ancient iron crown was taken, as everybody knows (so at least said my historian,) by Sir William Wallace, from one of the Pharaohs, during the Egyptian wars. This may seem a surprising fact to many a student of history, but so it was. Moreover. this Wallace, who was a patriotic individual, guarded this crown sacredly for years, and kept it hidden in a well. but afterward restored it to Robert Bruce, at the time he extricated the latter from some difficulty. Probably this may have been after the champion's own head was stuck on London bridge--but never mind that. According to the ancient legends, the crown was never. never to pass into the hands of the foreigner, for if it should ever press the brow of an English king the consequences thereof, in virtue of a treaty, would be--would be something, dreadfully calamitous to poor old Scotland. Her rights would be annihilated forever, and the English king would acquire unlimited sway. Well, this crown being now in possession of the Duke of Hamilton. the present Queen of England cast an eye upon it when she paid a visit to his castle, and in the simplicity of her heart, she requested the ancient seneschal to hand it to her that she might put it on her head. The hoary warden complied. and her Majesty was about to place the crown upon her brows. But the Duke drew his sword, and said, "Victoria, Queen, lay down that crown." And the Queen looked up in wonder, and said "My Duke of Hamilton, what meaneth this?" But the Duke only repeated in a stern voice "Victoria, Queen, lay down that crown." And again, the Queen said, "My Duke of Hamilton what meaneth this?" And then the ancient seneschal suddenly remembered the ancient legend and the treaty, and plucked the iron crown from the Royal hand. And once more the Queen said. "My Duke of Hamilton, what meaneth this? To which the patriotic Duke replied: "Victoria, Queen, had you put that crown upon your head, your head would have danced upon that pavement in your blood." And the Queen was so terribly scared that she quite forgot to enter the circumstance in her diary. Thus, one can study the Scottish history to advantage in the mountains.