New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-19
-SCOTLAND'S GRANITE CIT
ABERDEEN AND ITS PEOPLE.

ABERDEEN, June 2J-L0nG DclOre souVns '"'
tho North | repeatedly heard that aithousu o"iy
the fourth in point of population among tDe c'c7
Scotland the Granite City" ranked rst III 'he eS'
nation of it's inhabitants. few, u was soie'i'".'
added of the more reasonable ones concede
with n kind of half-dubious magnanimi'y
certain supremacy to Edinburgh. but
then they think the capital the first city III INC
world and that it is not greatly lowering Aberdeen
20 h,ing IL in "a good second Even this opinion,
,emnered as il wisely is with modesty and caDdor'
does not according TO my information, represent the
sentiment of the community, any more than IL zoos
that of the world at large. To the thoroughgomg
citizen of Aberdeen the city he lives in Is the lore
most on earth and it is immateria TO look ior se0
ond.
Harder things. too. are asserted of Aberdeen anu
its inmates 1t is said TO he chiefly famous ioi
fnnan haddies n-haddock partially curei hiloi "
fashion known only to the fsh-cnrers OF 'ho Noi'"
The University Town hears the sneer IN cohleinP'u
Gus silence and goes on curing ana sei'ng us A'u
dies TO the sassenach sneerers. This leads 10 So'
ord srnnosed feature in the typical character VIZ
that the citizen of Aberdeen has an idoatrous ven
GRAFTON for the golden calf. altogether INCONSISTENT
With bis assumptions of culture and rehne-
nent Speaking TO an artist III hulup" :"
n week ago about collector from 'no W.
| was told: Eyes. he's collector, Dut he
an Aberdopian and likes to have value for DIS
money: he pays Aberdonian prices" Mentlon VI
tbe golden calf suggests another story, evidently
set afIoat long ago when the world was preJu"locu
against the jew as a fntv money-grub and mlSer'
I, Is IN the effect that son of Israel yeDtured TO
MITCH his tent in Aberdeen, but after a brief So
iourn made a sudden and speedy return to the
Sonth I'm there" said he, in explanation, they
are all nv countrymen" Hence, SOutherners say
that Aberdeen is the only city IN the world where Il
low cannot live where he is 0ver-matched III
his own arts. and beaten with HIS own
weopons Much of this Is, no aouo',
to be attributed to rivalry between the cit'eS Vi
Scotland y rivalry as keen as that existing among
the cities of America. Aberdeen is the scotch Dos
ton in the opinion of its sons 1t IS the huo VI INC
limited Kingdom. All that is good ID the sister
islands cravitates toward it naturally rs the centre
- oooa all that is bad is excluded from its granite
walls by the sharp business qualities, the bright H.
tellects, and the high culture within
The IMPRESSIONS thus formed IN advance, while
giving rise to some amusement, also klndled ltIie
fear as ourneyed toward this city. Alter leaving
Perth however, thought OF nothing Du' 'he
beautiful scenery along the lay, and turning
eastward past Forlar to Montfose OF lhe
grandeur and picturesque qhletuue VI
Siraimnore. Leaving Montrose on the lishU Tue
road bonds slightly inland. until Stonehaven Is
reacbed little to the north of which 1t strikes the
scasbore. Between this point and Aberdeen the
scenery is rocky and desolate. The shore consists OF
. LOFTY wall of rock, IN which the ocean has bat
tered an occasional breach, through which the
waves Of the North Sea are launched in toaming
fp,v Spreading far into tie West Is Sir waiter
Sco,t,s Nnir of Urumnadrochi, dTeary eXpanse OF
vatery moorland dotted with bald his. Even i'll
June the scene is dampenlng and conducive 10
cbills What it must be in midwlnter imagination
cannot picture Such, however, IS the prepaiaIO"
voncbsafed MS by nature for encountenng the
dwcliers between the Dee and the Den.
Isol that IS said of Aberdeen true Are its citi-
zons conceited and sharp Instead OF answering
ouestions let straightforward narrative suffice
Aberdeen lies north and south from the Dee 10 the
Don. Old Aberdeen resting upon the latter ana
! New Aberdeen lining the former from Wellington
Rr;d,e down to Footdee. A number of eminences
GIVE the site variety. while they stand IN the way
of the too regular construction Characteristic of so
,,o,Tv American cities. The two central thorough
fares are Union-st. and George-st, when
| i,,crsect each other at right angles, ana
| hoI,yc fine branches of the cross formed
h then are terraces crescents and streets arIang'
tS sult The ground upon which they stand As may
| w. i,,ferrnd from the name. Old Aberdeen, though
/ now the less important of the TWO sections Is we
more ancient. How It gained priority Is easily tA-
! ,,io,ued III any of your readers happen 10 nave
raaned into Meg Dods." and read about the lnstl-
trtiou of the Cleikum Club On lar dIiiereDt local
Ity) they may remember tLis passaEe ioiL .no Ir
house-ror IN the Friars cast, maI-tne pest reach
| ;n The river, Let them alone Tor that Ihosc Jolly
monks knew something OF the unyIS,cy; h helt
,~orm sunny old orchards still produce the DeS'
fruii IN the country. You English gentlemen never
eaw the Grey-gude wife pear. Look out herei SIT
| 1hc Abbots Haugh yOnder-the richest carse lalio
IN III
'haV "The monks of Merose made fat kali
ON Friday when they lasted.
occIes,astics of the olden time. in fact, knew
| committing of worldly comfort, and when III the
twelfth century the see OF Aberdeen was iraslerre'
| frnu, Mortlach to Old Aberdeen, site Tor th'
itrtI, of ~ Nachar was chosen IN the rich valley
! ,h. Dan nrobablv because n simple truth Is con
| vryed m the line of the old rhyme,
"Ae rood oDon's worth twa oDee"
However this may be- the Struggling village ganet
bo start of the more stately CITY, and It Is 40 Olf
no iee, that the ANTIQUARIAN will first direct hi
| fnofstens 10 look at the venerable pile OF klng'
| Tnle~e and the unpretentlous but internally bean
lon TGothcdraI OF ST. Machar road TO the east o
the cathedral leads to the Brig q Baigowne, WEicl
! nromDted ByrOns retrospect, ana now by assocla
ion gives rise TO thoughIs Vi tho pOo' anu VI LIE
| boyhood IN the North. - III,
| 10 return TO the new town: the light gray
oraU,tn Of which il is largely built gives 1t an APP
Saarance that is both peculiar and. III one sense, at
| r,ct,vc The admiration lavlshed upon Unon-st
is NOT altogether misplaced. mile OF granite build
| jnrs is not to be found III any DINER cry In th'
lid and the character Of the street is solid
Ggnfed. and grave. But it lacks variety and 1t Is
o,ngniar tn observe how thoroughly the al-peryad
h'e hos IMPRESSED itself upon the taste of tine
neonio' Further south. from Berwickshire to the
Fortb one sees color IN the dress of the people The
women working in the helds have warn
WI stron0 hines mingled in their coarse and killed
d dn~ In Edinburgh the fish wives from lew
Haven and Musselburgh enllyen the streets witt
ra,Iv striped petticOats OF yellow, red and white
aa, costs of blue In Fife have seen mill girls il
"nnunVVcolored skirts sometimes CANDY, but always
bright. Lowand Sco(ch country church on
cnnJov in Sprlng is brilliant rs parterre OF ane
nss with yarlegated feathers and flowers. Her,
ali IS sombre. The people seem to have abjuree
color col They are, oppressed by the prevail
30 gray of their native granite, and
shSeuld not wonder if the latter has ever
nered into their characters. The buildings hav
o,0Ni -. nrrnct nnh Ahnrdnen-leL Low lander