CHAPTER I.--"And to Every Seed His Own Body."
When we speak of birth-marks our mind first pictures a physicalimpression, probably some bodily characteristic transmitted from anancestor; though mental habit or mind trait of ancestry is transmittedwith more consistent regularity than mere physical resemblance.
In a sense our ancestors in us are immortal; not because there is ahuman imperishableness, but we are heirs to certain family peculiaritiesand sometimes are afflicted with a restlessness that causes us to fanpinionless wings to reach heights we never fathom and of which wescarcely dream. My meaning can best be conveyed by example.
On a certain day in May a species of plover appear in great number onthe northern plains of British America. There they nest and rear theiryoung. The Indians take these birds when unfledged nestlings and makepets of them; and as they grow pluck their sprouting pinions. Byenvironment they are robbed of all life suggesting the migration; yetwhen the day of southward flight rolls round, the cripples grow restlessand seeking to rise on pinionless wing, end by climbing to a perch,where for several days, unceasingly, they beat the air with stubby,outstretched wings; uttering the while that plaintive whistle, which isnever heard, except when the bird is on its migratory flight.
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The fire on the hearth, forgotten and dying, cast a faint glowdisclosing a home-like room of good proportions and two men seated at ared deal table facing each other: Donald McDonald, a Scotch Presbyterianpreacher, and his son, Archibald Campbell, who though a gentlemanfarmer, was a kinsman of the Campbells of Argyll. A casual observerwould have noted that the men were nervously anxious, watching, waiting,perhaps praying for some one dear to both and ill in the adjoiningchamber.
The young farmer, as the silence is broken by a shrill wail of protestfrom his for-some-time-expected son and heir, starts from his chair in aclumsy effort at noiselessness and moves towards the bedroom door. Hiscompanion, rising, lifts his hands as in benediction and prays aloud ina tense, subdued voice, which seems to blend with the now lowered voiceof the whimpering babe. The father does not hear the old man; histhoughts are of and for the mother and the babe; and unknown to him,tears channel an unused course down his cheeks. So they stand for sometime; until the baby, hastily cared for and placed near his mother'sbreast, grows quiet, having discovered there is more in life than awail; then the fat old mid-wife opening the door tells them that thebaby is asleep and they may see the mother for a moment.
They tiptoe into the other room and to her bedside, trying hard not tomake a noise, though the thick oak floor boards seem to creak as neverbefore. She holds out a hand to each. Her husband, trembling, bends andkisses her quivering lips. She draws down the covers and he looks upon alittle red and wrinkled thing, that might almost sleep in comfort in hishands--his boy! his only son!
For the first time he calls her "mother," saying: "Mother, we shall callhim McDonald Campbell, using your family name, he is more yours thanmine."
"No, neither by my name nor after you, Archibald, but John Calvin. He isour first born; and the nurse says is without mark or blemish."
And the boy was called John Calvin Campbell.
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Prior to the Rebellion, Donald McDonald of the McDonald Clan, had livedin the vicinity of Fort William. At its close, with his family, a wifeand two daughters, he moved to a small fishing village on the NorthChannel in Ulster, to which point most of his congregation had beentransported.
His son-in-law, Archibald Campbell, was born in Argyllshire, in 1740. In1766, disregarding the protest of his family he married Mary McDonald,whereupon his father sent word: "In this marriage you have disregardedmy advice and disobeyed me. Your wife, the daughter of DissenterMcDonald, will not be received as one of my family. You are welcome tocome home when you wish; but it is hardly probable that you will visitwhere your wife is not an honored guest."
In the spring of 1766, Donald McDonald and family, with some twentymembers of his small and more or less persecuted congregation, emigratedto the Virginia Colony; and after several weeks spent in the Tidewatercountry, moved westward and settled in the western foothills of theVirginia Valley, in the vicinity of Jackson River Meeting House.
As Archibald Campbell's family continued to treat his wife as a strangerand her friends and relatives, except a sister, had gone to America, shefound it very lonely. Seven months after her father and mother sailedshe received letters from them telling how satisfactory they found thenew life and what pleasant prospects the new country offered; and fromthat day she persistently importuned and finally prevailed upon herhusband to sell their farm and join the colony.
The day before sailing they sent the effects they intended taking aboardship, including a young cow, two heifers and a coop of chickens,surrendered possession of their home and were just leaving for the inn,when Mr. Campbell's father, who had been watching them, drove up in thefamily carriage and made them go home with him. There his son's wife wasat last received as a daughter. His mother and sisters met her at thedoor and cried when they kissed her. They remained over night and whenthe time came for sailing, the whole household accompanied them to theship.
His father in a voice husky with feeling, though he managed to keep backhis tears, said: "* * * Here is a letter of introduction to PeytonRandolph of Virginia; he is not as loyal to the Crown as he might be buthe is a good man; and here is a wallet containing three hundred guineas.This sum with the four hundred and fifty which your cousin paid for yourfarm, will give you a fair start. I have paid the passage of RichardCameron; you know him, the son of the gatekeeper. He is to go with youas an indentured servant; but I had first to promise his father that youwould see that the boy is educated and brought up in the Presbyterianfaith and when discharged from your service shall be given seventyguineas. This sum I will provide, either by forwarding it to you or bymaking provision for its payment in my will. I understand that there areseveral servants and slaves aboard for sale. I would advise the purchaseof a slave; he becomes your absolute property, whereas the term ofservice of an indentured servant seems always to expire at a mostinopportune time. Here are ten guineas to buy a pony for my grandson,John Calvin. The little Dissenter is every inch a Campbell of Argyll.God bless and keep you and your family safe on the voyage and in thatfar land. I am sorry I ever said anything against your marriage, Mary isas fine a woman as there is in Scotland. God bless you, boy!"
Voices; Birth-Marks; The Man and the Elephant Page 7