The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-09-19
SIR WALTER SCOTT,
The Last Days of the SYriter--ln-
teresling "Reminiscences. ~.

Mr.. John Ballantyne, R. S A writes
thus to the London Standard: cat this
time, when every one delights to thiEk
of Scott-to speak, write, and read OF
Scott-perhaps it might interest some
of your readers to have q personal rem
iniscence of one who dined in Abbots-
ford the last time the great man ever sat
at his own table there. 1t was on the
day before Sir Walter left for the Cont
nent, from whence he returned but to
die. l am the only one of the 'Ballan-
tyne Clan alive who has met Sir Walter
in the flesh. l was brought u2, so to
speak, in an atmosphere of WaverlY'
l have seen my father, night after night,
with locked doors, copying the manu-
scripts of the Great Unknown as if he
were engaged in something purely
sacred. l have heard him, and every
one bearing the name of Ballantyne who
knew Scott speak of him not only with
veneration and respect, but with ahso-
lutte love. The incident l write, there
fore, has always been marked in my
memory with white stone.
HThe party which assembled round
his board that day, September 22,ss
consisted of all the members of his
family then in Scotland, and several Of
his intimate friends, including his aman-
uensis, (Laidlaw,) Sir Adam Ferguson,
Wordsworth, Sir William Allan, my ia
ther, Alexander Ballantyne, and one or
two others whom l did not know and
dc not remember, as / was only sixteen
years of age at the time. Sir Walter
sat at the centre of the table. His eld-
est son, then Major, and Lockhart were
seated at the head and foot. l was for
tunate enough to be placed facing Scott;
and had thus an opportunity Of hearing
all he said and watching every varying
expression that lighted up his wonder
full countenance. Well do l remember
the face; but, alas at this distant date
I remember but as words in dream the
wonderful flow of conversation, the
quiet touches Of humor in the stories
that came so naturally to illustrate any
subject on the tapis-the occasional flash
of wit which lit up his manly face with
halo of beauty.
"All this continued throughout the
time of dinner, and afterward in the Ii.
brarY, when his last conversation with
Wordsworth took place, and after the
party broke up I remember Sir Adam
Ferguson saying to my father that he
had never heard Sir Walter more brill
liant in his palmiest days Toward the
close of the evening, Sir Walter, with
his usual kindness toward youngsters,
asked me if had seen his 'curiosities.
And on my answering in the negative,
he led me into the little room where his
treasured relics of antiquity were, and
still are kept; and probably feeling he
was parting from them for long time
he pointed out, lovingly. as it were, to
my notice few Of his especial favorite>
among them-Rob Roy's gun, the thum'
bikins, the keys of the Heart of Mid
lothian, &c, and then Seating himself
he told me various anecdotes and le
gends, called up by the sight of his an.
tiquarian treasures.
"Well do remember his appearance
seated on a window-seat; his hands
crossed on the handle. of his stout, in
separable walking stick the fading light
falling gently on his silvery locks and
towering forebead-all relieved by the
background of distant trees and swell
ing uplands-now sombre and dark, save
where d band of the silver Tweed gilt
tered as it passed the abode of him who
loved its streams so we'll. When tht
hour came for the departure Of tht
! guests who were not staying in the
house, Scott accompanied them to thu
hall, and there, after receiving kindly
pat on the shoulder en- pa, standing
among his old armor and loving friends
/ had my last look of Sir Walter Scott.