The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-07-12
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SKETcHEs De EUROPEAN TRlVEL.
~ 1JI0 iStirlinE. ltig'.
For dc THRSsllNg IatelllgGnctr.

Y I iJIG i6tirllDE. itI8J
For he RaAaliag IatsGtgmesr.
Leaving Callander Ia small village
nestled under the shoulders Of Ben Ledi
who seems to have rushed out Of the ranks
of his fellow mountains for the sole pur.
pose Of protecting it, We soon reach Dun,
blame, forever hAllowed. by the spirit 81
Sweet Jessie; then crossing Allan Water
pass beneath Abbey Craig with itsMas'
sive monument to Wallace approaching
completion, and our expectaht eyes from
the car window behold Stirling Castle
Tower and Town" painting their lofty
battlements against the cloud swept skIy
Seated before a blazing fire III the parl6t
Of our pleasant inn at Stirling, we. soon
recovered from the effects Of the piercing
blasts which, gathering around Lock
Katrine, swept down from their noun.
tain Businesses upon Loeb LOmOnd with
all the fury Of Rhoderic Dhu or Rob Roy
lespoiling us'of nur enjoyment Of the mag
niticcnt mountain scenery through which
we passed.
In the morning, while climbing up the
steep hill towards the castle, We were sud
denly confronted by the Statue Of Sir
William Wallace standing at the corner
of two interscCting streets, HC was q
fierce looking fellow, dressed in complete
armor and with an enormous sword grasp:
ed in both hands, the point resting on tho
pedestal at his feet.
4 was much surprised at the great esti'
nation in which Wallaceis held through
out Scotland. From my knowledge 81
Scottish history l supposed that Bruce
was their hero par excellence, but have
NOT seen one memorial ofthim; while those
Of Wallace are to he met with on every
side and his name Is associated with all
sections of tho country In tradition.
On expressing my surprise at this to
an intelligent citizen, he replied that It
was because Wallace Twas ono of the
people, that he fought for his coun!
Try and not Of his own personal ag.
grandizemcnt Us did Bruce, whose eye was
on the Crown Of Scotland Ito which he
lad no legitimate claims. The spirit oil
democracy, which seems always to have
found q harbor in the Scottish bosom, may
have been at tho bottom Of this The
people are ever eager to show that deeds
Of the highest patriotism, selt-sacriice
and heroisn are not confined to gentle
blood, but may find the nOblcst exempli'
icatiOn among themselves Bruce re.
ceived his reward in substantial worldly
llonors; that Of Wallace is but the breath
Of praise. May 1t know no end. - : =
The street becomes narrower and steep
er as you ascend, till you orc hemncd in
on either hand by tall old housesJwith
quaint crow-steppel gables and jutting
turrets thrust out in front, usurping part
Of the already too .scanty space. These
tdfrets which contain The stairway art
pierced BY narrow loopttoles, which give
them the appearance Of fortresses, fol
which they were probably used in the
0lden time when leach mans house was
his castle, which he was often obliged to
defend by main force. Above the dooI
/ in each mansion Is placeda inscription, q
motto taken generally, from the Scripture
as though their piety had oozed through
the stone walls.
These narrow streets terminate, near the
summit Of the hill in the public square
on one side of which is the old Gray
Friar's Church, its lofty gable pierced, by
one enormous arched window, looming
grandly above us. Near by arc the
mouldcring ruins Of Marswork, the
princeIy palace which the naughty Ear
Of that name had the ambition to attempt
but not the ability to complete. DEATH
rnt him short in the midst Of his still
more daring schemes, and LETT this ruin as
a Scornfil memorial Of his impOtent pro
sumption.
Passing behind this ruin into tho church
ward We soon come to u high rocky ridge
between it and the castle lies small val
lev, although on the summit OF the noun
tain, where in the olden time were wont
TO be held the tits and tournaments o.
chivalrous knights WHO were sPHITed sto
their Utmost PROV es and deeds d noble
iafihgtby hesight6t thG1adieS d thelI
love, Who were seated upon this ridge
thence called the Ladies' Rock, and
"who8e bright eyes raincd influence and
Eadiudged the prize Unless from the oppo'
site height the royal hand youGhsqlcQ tc
honorsome cohspicti6hs grace andprowess
wi Ills Ey piscS u fiinei With Memories o.
romance and cEiyalry, ofbeauty and Yalor
Is now made habitation Tor the dead,
where would beh6l 2ins fancy noble
knights on fiery steeds shoot like lightning
tfifoiiSR Ire lists ID imeet4iII tntho course
with, clash OF armour and shiyering lances
and Crested heads totterfng like trees IN O
stemuest- nought is now.tQ bcseen hut
scuiptured marble inscribed with d wail
|oES sorrow I6r .theadepartesly Mo- higll
born ladies smile from this bare rock
Sbdvesi mo Queen looks forth from yOn
palace window, Death hath erected bis
court III tie tit yard, and; IFS vassalsi d
senseless ,soldierly, ill with brutal reyelFy
the halls where Kings used to banquet:
Crossing over to the csplanade Of the
Castle, we enter the outer courtyard by
ctusa6g Q dFaRbridge will ITS massive
/ lhfds sim i1taEt, and through a,gataway
tile iron ,portcullis bars Of which arc cor
rotlel by the rust Of centuries, climbing
up to the parapet, we have full view o.
tic old palace, on which all the re-
sources ORD bsrbarous mag niacence have
been lavished.. Human figures frozen
waist deep in the marble fling their arms
wildly, in vain appeal for rescue. On
these ere placed twisted, columns rising
between the, windows and surInpupled by
grote890t statues Of King or Queen, war
rior or saint, while tho F0yals Scottish Lior
dominates over all. But time hath more
sDect for royal persons or their, structures
and the polished walls are crtmbllng ant
tho grotesquc figures, are rendered hOrri
BE by lis coftodous tooth.
We pass into tho principal courtyart
through, q portal said to have been erected
by thS Romans; for conclusive proof 20
which our guide pointed 70 IN oyster
sh6llambeddea in thes WALL. OF eithel
side 4reE l6oniss tnrr6isS pi6tcsd with nas
row gashes looking like wounds from