Semi-weekly interior journal., 1883-08-10

along the smoothly rolled gravel, bordered
by periectly-kept grass, shaven and emer-
aid green, until John put his horses almost
on their launches by a sudden pull up
abreast Of the sleeping stone lions that ar
iistically grace the broad from, steps That
seems the way Of doing the thing Alright in
this land Of Britain. Not a gradual less.
ening Of speed, which would gently but
tamely land you where you want to stop,
but dash up TO the very point, a check
that makes the gravel ny in shower
ahead Of the horses and joltless, though
sudden halt, with carriage door quickly
opened and vehicle emptied Of its occu-
pants in sort Of delightful haste, us II
anxious not to get out Of il, but in the hos.
pitable house. In our case the smiling
housekeeper, good Mrs. Aud, with spotless
cap and words Of welcome, assured us Of
our expectation and welcome. Wrape
laid oil, we we're ushered into the hand
somely furnished breakfast-room, preceded
by "Colin," the favorite "Scotch colly,"
with tail like a great plume, wsgging an
other greeting, as II he had said, "My mas.
ter is not at home, but you are more than
welcome to everything we have" No sus.
picions smelling around our ancles and
calves, as il in doubt whether we were
tramps to be bitten OF guests to be honor
ed. Colin is gentleman and knows his
masters friends instinctively and instant
ly. A cheerful coal FIRE Is in the CRATE,
and very comfortable, il il is the middle Of
July. A smoking breakfast ofdainty NUT
ton-chops, ish and "scones," or Scottish
wheaten-cake butter Of gold and fragrant
tea, service Of silver, and all in keeping
with the elegance Of the surroundings.
Out Of the window glorious view ofmoun-
tains across the Tweed, with palatial Hy-
dropathic establishment, looking like a
Dukes mansion in the centre Of the hill.
side; beneath are meadows with noble trees
and white iocKs resting or grazing, part Of
the noble estate Of Sir Robert Hay, lying
along the valley Of the Tweed; inside, stat.
uary and paintings, rare and beautiful up
on the walls; on the eide. board Paul and
Virginia and Burns and his Highland Ma
ry in exquisite terra-cotta; above the man
tel portraits Of the hosts father and moth
er, occupying the place Of honor, while his
own likeness looks down on his guests from
another side Of the room, n pleasant half
smile, very life.like, as il glad 10 see them
gather around his table. Colin lies on his
rug, nose on paws, blinkingly awaiting the
time when he may come in for part Of the
breakfast. This he soon claims, for the
musical rattle Of knives and forks proves
too much for his dog nature and he walks
restlessly from one to another, receiving a
pleasant contribution from each, to stay his
torments OF appetite. Colin has a soft gen
tie eye, but the coachman tells me he has
been great fighter in his day and an inva-
riable companion Of the Irish bays, until
they ran over him one day and the car
riage wheel followed before he could recov-
er; since which he is shy Of it and general
ly stays at home, reposing like an old war
rior on his youthful laurels. A sheep dog,
thoroughly trained and Of rare intelligence,
he has also been. But he is verging on
the "sere and yAlow leaf" and dozes away
what is left of life in dignifed retirement,
leaving the active duties to younger ours.
Breakfast over, the open doors all over
the house inviting inspection, we spent an
hour looking at the statuary, pictures and
furniture, all costly and in exquisite taste
of selection and arrangement. One statue
alone was worth the journey Of
blind girl reading the raised letters Of the
book lying on her lap. The artist has
caught the expression of face exactly and
conveys ii in way one would have
thought impossible in marble, however at
tainable in painting. The turret view is
charming, to a degree. PEBBLES has COM
plete amphitheatre Of hills around it, al
most rising to the dignity of mountains,
yet with enough ofintervening low land and
medows, before the foot is reached, TO give
perfect variety. The crystal river, abound
ing in trout and unpoisonedb by paper mills,
As the Esk is, flows in pretty curves thro'
the clean, stone village and out through
one Of the glens, as il entered the amphi-
theatre by another, giving that water life
to the picture without which the loveliesi
landscape is incomplete. The hills are,
some Of them, covered with dark green frs
to the summii, while others are grass-car-
peted to the very crown.
John had the bays at the door at the ex
act time intimated-half past ten-and we
drove till dinner time; the noble animals
never tagging, as il they too had the honor
Of the master TO sustain in entertaining his
guests. We first drove by perfect road Of
macadamized structure through fine glen
miles out by the "Black Dwarfs" house
and on to his grave in Manor Church-yard.
Readers Of Sir Walter Scoti's tale by that
title will take an interest in the mention OF
this that others do not. The door, three
feet high and small window beside il, in
the stone cottage where he lived, still are
there, though another door to suit ordina.
ny human beings, has been cut through the
wall beside ii. A bust Of Sir Walter is
over the outer door. A bust Of the dwarf
himself is on the lawn Of farm house q
little way of. In the church-yard Will
liam Chambers. the great publisher, has
erected a modest tombstone bearing this