Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-11-18
CLARA MORRIS ON MARIE STUART


moment We were In the depot, and ten miuutes
later standing ou the steps of the Royal Nc
Gregor Hotel (of accursed memories) | took
my first amazed and delighted look at Edin.
bugh, slrnamed ou tue moment 10 my mind the
magnificent. 1t is usually called the modern
Athens-why, can { say. True, the city is
srchltecturalIy superb, but Athens was some
thing more than collection of hnc buildings.
That thrice blessed mother who brought into
the world painting, poetry and sculpture, who
stands out IN the past, as she probably will
through all the future, unequalled 10 the sense
OF the beautiful, was something more than the
Scotch capital. Edinburgh is rich in universi-
ties hospitals and publishing houses, and every
building looks like castle-in fact, the whole
OF the new towu, as it is called, is massvely
grotcsque and looks as though it had been
Planned by one mind; and So it has, the Scotch
mind, which the world knows is eninently dog
matte. By this | meao that in its religion,
politics, and moral philosophy there is iusr
fight, then depotism-the mind of the few
dominates. So | was not surprised to learn
that Edinburgh was built by law. Each man
had to build, if he built at all, in accordance
with ordinance. The old town is deliciously
odd. High shouldered houses crowd against
each other, upper stories bulge out over
lower stories, winding stairs are as thick
as blackberrles 10 August, and their steep
and narrow streets are full of memories. In
an old house Burns tarried for a time. and
made love to the pretty housemaid in another
Scott lived and worked for many years; while
the oldest, oddest OF them all was the home of
knox, that Protestant thorn of Catholic Mary's
side. But the Mecca of my pilgrimage was
gray old Hoyrood, the heavy, uucouth setting
OF the fairest gem that ever flashed before the
eyes of the Scottish men and women. Yes,
Mary Stuart certainly il the coup de grace of
Scotland. 1t has ever been the home of rug
ged sort OF romance Of the courage and endur-
ance, OF desperate causes lost or won-but this
beautiful, brilliant Mary, this graceful, graci-
Gus Stuart, IS the light; the life, the very soul
OF Scotch romance, and though uocrowned and
put to death nearly three centuries ago she
rules to-day more poteD:ly than before, Scot
land s aunoluted queen. | confess to an extra
heart;throb when found myself amberins up
the stony wlndings OF the stairs that led TO her
apartments. Passing quickly through that
gloomy room known as the audience cham
Der, entered with reverent feet the sleeping
room-ah me ah me! The first thing that
woman sees is the small, frameless Venetian
mirror hanging near the window. 1t is scarce
twelve inches long, and the only one Queen
Mary had; but what Of that?-snall neeu had
she OF lookIng-glass so long as men had eyes.
Ou the left OF the Fireplace stands the bed.
once magnificent in velvet pIumes and
glldiug-but never have these eyes of mine
bebeld bed so short. If that popipiay Lord
Darnley was in the habit of sharing the royal
couch, | should like to know what disposition
he made of his ugly long legs. The foot-board
is solid, so he could not have thrust them
through there. He must either have shut
himself up like a jack. knife or else he must
have slept with bis lordly feet 10 chair. This
apartment is made picturesque by the two lit.
tie turret rooms Opening off it. The one on
the lett was the dressing room, the one on the
right the scene OF that supper which met with
the bloody interruption. Such little rooms,
bare ten feet long and less than six feet wide
What picture must be the overturned table,
the tarlDg lights, the shrieking, praying Riz-
zo, who instead Of clutchins at the royal robes
should at least have tried to kill one Of his as
saiiants; the outraged Queen with pistol at
her breast, and her arms held by her husband
God had been Queen Mary | should have
LETT no room for doub. as to whether or no |
had blown up Lord Darnley
visited and studied every portrait of the
fair Stuart that could tud, and am strongly
lncllDed to pin my faith to the one at Abbotts.
ford, painted after death by Amyas Cawood,
who, it is said, obtained access to the remains
lu the character of an assistant to the surgeon
who embalmed the body. Yes this is the face
men have maddened tor-this is the face men
have maddened tor, have bed aud died for,
have lost their souls for. And it is beautiful
even in the cold 6xity Of death with strange
dark shadows around the mouth and eyes.
lo this picture the brow is low and broad,
with masses of dark brown hair falling
heavily away from it; the brows are long
and delicate and very slightly arched; the
lids, though quite closed, cannot conceal the
size and fuliness Of the eyes beneath; the nose
Is perfection, and the mouth and chn-ah,
Death himself has not robbed these of their
soft voluptuous curves. He has taken the light
and color all away, but the sweet full lips, the
short dlmped chin. they are the same as when
Chastelard wrote, Rizzo sang, Darnley slight
ed, and Boutwell, raved. 0 sweet, weak, pas
slonate mouth and chin, you worked all the
harm No matter how clearly the broad brow
reasoned 1t found no support in you; so you
curved and smiled and laughed and dimpled
till at last it fell-this perfect head, paying the
penalty Of passionate heart. If [ fnd this
face so fair in death what must it have been 10
lite What if the heavy lids should lift and
the lustrous hazel eyes look into mine What
II the lips should tremble, open. smile, with
sweet warm breath between them? w hat If the
cold, blue shadows were to fade away, leaving
creamy white and faintest pink behind them
hat if there was no stain of blood on the
stately throat? What indeed IT'S easily told;
there would be one more person, Mary Stuart.
mad.
| suppose you think | am already that, for I
nave raved most recklessly, and since | have
already wearied you [ will not drag you with
NE up the winding road to Arthur's seat nor
10 the mighty castle, but will say good by.
CLARA NORRIS,
NOVEMBER is, l247.-Robin Hood, the
leader of band of robbers, who infested the
Sherwood forest, died. He and his hand con-