when another crash came, this time as if cupboard and delf rack, with all the crockery in the house, had been dashed on the middle of the floor. Again getting up and striking a light, they were more than ever amazed to find everything in its proper place, nothing had been touched, and although another search round was made, no clue could be found. It being now close on their usual rising time, Joseph and his wife did not go back to bed, but partook of some breakfast together, and after setting up a word of prayer, he went out to his daily toil. The place Black worked at was entered by a "level," and there being no mining regulations in those days, the miners could go to and from their work as best suited themselves. Joseph Black had got to his place all right, and made a commencement with his work, when he was suddenly buried under a heavy fall from the roof, and in a condition more dead than alive, he was discovered later on in the morning by the man who wrought next to him. When he was taken out, it was found that his back was broken, and he lived only a short time. His widow talked often of her husband having walked with his own wraith, and of the mysterious noises heard on the eve of her bereavement.

The late Peter Hastie, who lived in the Lochan, Sanquhar, told me of a remarkable apparition which he saw when he was a youth. He said he was brought up in the village of Kirkconnel, and that he had as a school companion a lad named Thomas Blacklock, who, like himself, was put to farm service after leaving the schoolmaster's hands, Blacklock to the farm of Nether Cairn and Peter to Kelloside, a distance of about three miles separating the places. One day in the spring of the year Peter was engaged in carting manure from the

farm steading to one of the fields near the public road, and about one o'clock, when he was going with his first load after dinner, he saw, just before he reached the gate, his friend, Thomas Blacklock, coming down the road to meet him, which made him wonder what could be bringing him there at that time of day. Being by this time at the gate leading into the field, Peter caught hold of the bridle to lead in, but the beast was startled at something; one of the wheels struck the gate post, upsetting the cart, and Peter had a narrow escape of it falling on him. The people in the field, seeing his predicament, ran to his assistance, and quickly put things to rights. His friend, Blacklock, however, instead of lending his help, stood quietly looking on, a proceeding, or lack of action rather, that Peter could not reconcile with his views of friendship, but being busy at the time, he only gave the matter a passing thought. On all being put straight he looked round for his old friend, but he was nowhere to be seen, nor had any of the field workers seen Blacklock. That evening when returning from their day's darg, Peter and his fellow-servants were met by a man belonging to the Cairn, who told them that that day about one o'clock Thomas Blacklock had been acci

dentally killed. It appears that at Nether Cairn Blacklock had, like his friend, been carting manure. He had taken one load after his dinner, and was in the act of returning, sitting in the empty cart, when the horse took fright, ran away, and threw him out. His head struck a large stone, and he was killed on the spot. The time of Thomas Blacklock's tragic death corresponded exactly with the time Peter Hastie saw the appearance of his old companion, and when he himself had had an accident to his own cart.

William M'Cririck and William Cunningham were tradesmen in Sanquhar; they had known each other for many years, had much in common, were fast friends, and for years had made it their daily custom to have an after-dinner walk together, the Braeheads and Nithside being their favourite stroll. Seldom was the one seen out in the afternoon without the other, and only inclemency of weather prevented their daily walk. At last Cunningham fell ill, and was confined to bed. His old friend M'Cririck was forced to have his walks alone, but each day on returning from his constitutional, he called to see Cunningham, who, however, made no improvement; he gradually got worse, and no hopes were held forth of his recovery. This had gone on for a few days. M'Cririck had been round the Braeheads, and at the south corner, where the Castle holm opens out, had stopped to admire the prospect down the valley. What was his surprise to see Cunningham by the waterside below him, sitting on the bank near the the little pool known as the "" Cradle." Unable to account for such an unexpected situation, he hurried down the steep declivity, and made towards his friend, who continued sitting in characteristic position, with snuff box on his knee, until when he came within twelve yards or so of him, the apparition, for so it was, vanished. M'Cririck was

amazed, and something told him that his friend was dead. He speedily returned to the town by way of the Hedgeside" path (alas! the hedge is now no more), and, on rounding the corner at the Council House, was met by a fellow-townsman, who informed him that William Cunningham had only a few minutes previously expired. At the exact time William M'Cririck had seen the appearance of Cunningham by the water side, the soul of his old friend was drifting into the great beyond.

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