The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-07-24
Written for THE MONITOR
TRIP THROUGH SCOTLAND.
The Ascent of BEN LOmOnd.

' ale III IIeNtil. Sdiu Matthew i. as the
train moved away from Alexandria Sta
ton. Now to- explain. Matthew P was a
fellow voyager who after some years in
America, was returning for a temporary so
journ in his native land. A ship acquaint-
ance had resulted in the courtesy of an
invitation to visit his home, with a supple
mentary arrangement for trip up Loeb
Lomond to be appropriately finished off by
pany, he to return home from the crest and
to go down the other side and wend my
solitary way through the remainder Of my
projected tour of the land of oatmeal cakes
and William Wallace.
Upon reaching Greenoch, however, sad
news met Matthew An elder brother had
lately died in London. Still he wished me
to call on my way through Dumbarton-
shire and promised to do So
1t was about five o'clock Friday fter-
noon when, properly fitted out with KNAPP
sack and stick. / tramped into the village
of Bonhill and inquired as to the where
yonder sir pointing to IA neat, stone dwell
ling with ornamental shrubs and well kept
flower beds in the front yard. Turning
into the lane I saw Matthew standing in
the middle of the way to receive me. 81
caught a glimpse of You over the bridge as
you came along the main road, said he.
That evening spent with my Scotch
friends was truly a pleasant one and the
next morning, when with knapsack made
heavier by good hearty lunch and my
collection of pressed flowers increased by
contributions from the beds and borders in
front of the house, | said good bye, it was
with the consciousness that another set of
pleasant memories had been added to the
recolections of the past, together with the
assurance that there would be a welcome
for me if ever it was my lot to return to
Ronhil
Matthew went with me to the station
whence rode through the beautiful valley
of the Leven to Balloch Pier. A few min
utes sufficed for the trip and upon getting
off the train saw the swift little steamer
at her moorings. with a tempting looking
breakfast table visible through the open
windows of the cabin. The display was
all to no purpose so far as was concerned,
however.
Clouds are in the sky at all times in this
country. Upon the morning in question
they were floating in huge masses before
brisk, cool breeze. which carried them
rapidly across the light blue vault, max
ing their shadows run silent races in the
sunlight, across the ripping Loeb with its
islands of varied surface and verdure; over
the pleasant slopes with their pale green
grasses dotted or darkened by small trees,
singly or in close array; along the uneven
uplands and rugged hills, dark and sad
with rock and heather, and over the far off
crests. so lonely and still in their treeless
barrenness, with desolate, grim cliffs,
scantily hid by the MOSES, looking down
in their stern, eternal, silence.
Tow ering chimneys and other signs of
civilized life were rapidly left behind.
'Inch'' this and 'Inch'' that-twenty-
four of them in all. Not two feet, my
friend, but entirely too much of feat to
remember them ALL so You must cen rest
content with the information that 'lnch'
means Island, in Gaelic and the names in
English signify the Island of Cows, Island
of Buryings, &c. Now just hold up on
your criticisms of that attempted pun,
please. am fully aware Of its unmiti-
gated righteousness. 1t is charity | need,
not censure.
That turreted house on the lovely lawn
TO the left belongs to Sir James ColqOu-
hawn," and that is ''Glen Feurin.' The
pass of Belmahew is out of sight behind
that island said my informant who also,
in an exchange of condolences, said he was
going to the seashore with his family the
immediate object being the physical well
fare of daughter who was 'sa gettin to
lang leggit to be over healthy"
With nod of his head toward the after
part of the boat ''Why dinna We put that
in your note book - said another in low
voice. | looked. ''What is it 90 ''It is
Campbell" Odd that fellow with only
one pair of breeches should be so reckless
as to leave them on the line in reach of the
all devouring calf and stranger still is the
lengths to which feminine perversity will
60 Surely, if so minded, some of them
could have loaned him a petticoat suffi-
GENTLY long to hide those sixteen collective
inches of bare leg, with which the noun
tain breeze is toying i'll the space between
the lower edge of the skirt and the tops of
his plaid stockings. This inwardly and
all to myself, for the short skirted one had
muscle on him which didn't promise any
great things in the the way of pleasure to
an antagonist. He stopped at little vii
lage having slate quarry in the hill above
it and a rocky islet in the lake, which was
aforetime used as a prison for law breakers
of minor degrees. Romardevon. Here |
get off and like all other visitors must
buy the shackly little pier-price, tup-
pence 1t is called toll for courtesy sake.
As my purchase was rather cumbersome
to carry and not worth the trouble under
any conditions followed the usual custom
and left it, with my blessing, as means
a. h in,