Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-13
SCOTCH HUM0R.
Iuc iden,s that Csn,rovert sam Jshasss's
Opinion OF srotchmea.


Opinion OF scotchmen.
From James Psyn's Literary Recollectios&"I
Alexander Russell. the editor OF the Scots-
man, was one Of Mr.. PayD's Edinburgh
friends, man with humOr enough 10 re-
deem the character Of his country. "The
Liberal party In scotland. who were under
great obligations TO him for his advocacy
~ Journalist. had subscribed very hsad-
somely 20 present him with testimonial
in hard cash. He was not rich man. but
he had doubts ~ to whether he should &C
cept gift which might destroy or weaken
his prestige, and he consulted a fellow
countrymsn upon the point. The advice.
IS he told Il me with infinite relish, was
as follows: II it Is $4,000, my mon, TAX
1t il 1t il less than $4,000. don't take IL;
and say you wouldn't have taken il IL Il had
been GJO,0O0.'"
The late historian Of Scotland. J. HIN
Burton. was the subject ~ enc OF Rus,elPs
dr0llest stories 1.-The former editor Of
the Scotsman. when be retired ~ enjoy bis
wcllearned leisure. wa 80 good ~ to give
Russell some particular advice: The con-
duct OF a newspaper, he said. rs always
very serious thing, full Of dangers and
difficulties but in addition 10 it, usual
snxIeties, yOu, my friend. will every night
have 10 Keep the most vigillnt watch
lest that man Hill Burton should con-
trive 10 insert hi, theory about
Scotch cheese into your columns
IL il not Necessary 10 particular
ize what II was 1t will suffice "a say
that this thcory-b,sed upon the exposure
Of scotch chee,es iz front Of the shops, aud
the treatment TO which they were c0nsc-
quenty eXposed-was not complimentary,
or likely 10 recommend them 10 the pur-
chaser. Day aud night, said Russell, for
liteen years never forgot my predecessors
warning; hundred times that theory en-
deayored TO giin admittance into nv col
umns. and by most unlooked.for channels;
sometimes il iurked concealed In an ati-
Gle upon the tTimean war. sometimes In
one on the divorce laws, sometimes in
one ca the division, Of the Free
Church Of Scotland, OF even ON
the disruption itself; but 1t was al
way. detected AID struck out. II was
duel 10 the death; for | knew that Hill
Burton would never relax his efforts 10 get
his views upon Scotch cheeses into print
while there was breath In his body. Tn
the morning OF the last day OF the fifteenth
year be ran into my Office, waving paper
in his hand and crying out, Its in, it's
in" what" cried |. "you persever-
ing devil, not In the Scotsman, sureIy!"
" No." said he, 4" in 'Chambers's IBforma-
ton for the People," NV relief OF mind
is not TO be described, aud must also con-
fess (here Russell turned a. me with q
chuckle) that It gave me no little satlsfac-
ton to think that It was your friends the
Cbawmerses after all who'd got H."
Still Mr.. Pnyn coniesses that, although
the gravity OF Edinburgh life was miti-
gated By hum0r. that life was very serious.
Everybody must remember Dean Rsulsey's
story Of the dissipated young man "who
went 10 too many funerals. aud there
was certainly something Of austerlty even
In It's pleasures. With n large section OF
the community everything that had rels-
ton 10 p,stirne was considered wicked,
and the booksellers they patronized sold
nothing but improving books. Wishing To
have some theoretical knowledge OF the na-
tional game, ordered Of one Of them hand
book Of golf, and in due course received
a neat little volume emitted "The Hand Of
Providence Excmpliiied In the Life OF John
Il. Cough" the teetotaler). took il COM
plainingly TO Robert Chambers, whs
larghed I'LL the tears ran down bis cheeks.
and rather grudgingly observed: Now.
why should this have happened TO you and
not 10 me-" so seriously did society al
large regard matters that the droller side
Of this escaped their observation. A beg
gar.msn had stood on the old bridge for the
last ten years with placard On his breast
With this inscription =" Blind from INV
birth; [ have seen better days"