, 1890-10-30
LOVELY STRATHGLASS.
The Beauties Of the Grand
"Gray Valley"
ITS MAGICAL FASCINA7I0NS
A Land of Mist -Wreathed Mount.
aims. Feathery Waterfalls, and
Magnificent Forests.

SrRArHoLAss, Scotland, Sept. 1s
1t was an earnest welcome tha
came to me from the indwel!ers a
the sweet old lonely manse of Fas
nakyle In the heart Of grand Strath
glass among the grim peaks ol
Northern Scotland. Though the
night was already falling like O
dark wing from the crags as we
descended from the stage coach, the
situation and Surroundings Of the
manse could be vaguely discerned.
The great strath stretched east and
west for halfa days journey in front.
The river Glass, from whence
Strathglass derives Its name, swept
by the very edge OF the coachroad
beside us, with strong, even
flow, and n sort Of hall
roar and song over Its level
though rocky bed. Behind,
to the north, perhaps dozen
acres Of land, part OF which be-
longcd to the manse, was formed in
q sort of horseshoe-lilSe pocket, or
dell, behind which rose the mount
aims to lofty heights, and down
whose rough old sizes, through tiny
burns, came melodious rills, which
here and there, beneath the road,
leapcd and tumbled into the Glass
below. Larches grim, tall and
waith-like in the shadows half hid
the3 manse and its low stone out
buildings; and the lights streaming
through the great doors and win
dows, flung fantastic shadow-scenes
of waving larch and happy children
along the walks Of gravel white as
snow.
HIGHLAND HOSPITALITY.
There in the great door were the
household members, all gathered
for the coming of their head and
the stranger. The guidwife first,
fine ami tall, grand in the physique
of the old Morse race from which
she sprang, gave us gentle, earnest
greeting. Then came the minister's
assistant, n pure Gael, tall, huge
and angular, but with a manhood
in his face and grasp in his hand
which did one good to see and feel.
Then, two domestics, shy, voiceless
Highland girls, who knew little Of
English, but much OF everyday
duty. These and the fiaxen-haired
bairn in every attitude and place
beamed kindness and welcome.
Soon supper is served In the roomy
dining.room, of the great hall.
This room also answers for the two
clerics' study and library. In the
few minutes intervening between
our arrival and the meal, the five
BARNS ebbulant with life and Joy
BUSINESS have bade the stranger
goodnight and are hushed i'm slum-
Der. The minister's assistant says
grace with that honesty of faith and
feeling that thrills to ones heart as
u genuine blessing. The meal, mod
est enough In itself, yet delicious in
its snowy scones, crisp bacon, fresh
laid eggs and honest Highland
cream and butter, is given the spark
ling zest of perfect hospitality de-
void of offensive protestatlon, and
that sweetest OF all converse issuing
from pure hearts, healthful bodies
and cultured intellects; and Is all toe
short after an hours duration.
Then the guidwife excuses her.
self for bit; the shy domestics en-
ter aud remove the cloth and be.
longings; and then, OH, horror IL
the representative! some good old
honest Highland pipes, black as
the night behind the window-panes,
are brought: and in the ''auld
reekie" of their rings and wreaths
two hours come and go in talk and
tales OF the North SO swiftly that 10
O'Clock has come, and the cloth l.
again laid by the silent handmaids,
before we were aware. Then the
guidwiie returns and "porridge,' -
hot, steaming hot, with pints and
pints of cream, are served. This
disposed, the shy maidens return,
each with u book in her hand.
EVENING SERVICES.
They seat themselves, and 1 am
handed a similar book. Its title IL
"The Scottish Psalter," being "The
Psalms in Metre, with the Para
phrases, and Selection of the Prose
Psalms" The book Is cut entirely
through the contents, between the
covers, the ''sol-fa" system of notes
being printed at the top and the
paraphrases beneath. Suddenly II
to me strange threnody filled the
room. Five treble voices had bro
ken forth into most impre .sive
chant:
Key g.
mt r:d f:lIm;- r:t, d;r | l. :.II etc
/. The heavens declare the glory OF
God and the hrma ment showeth
2. bay unto day utter eth speech. # and
night unto night. showeth knowl.
and thus, with quaver, rapid utter
ance of sustained notes, and with
frequent solemn pauses, they swept
through the fourteen verses of
Psalm XIX.
Then, after this weird and joyous
canticle, followed prayer by the
minister of Fasnakyle. IT was none
of your halting, limping, rheumatic
prayers that go by fits and starts on
spllntered, spiritual crutches. 1t
was IA hearty, healthy Highland
prayer, full of tervor Vigor, spirit,
which filled the whole nanse with
both sound and brightness, even as
these mountain torrents roar and
flash and echo throug h their mighty
gorges and glens; and If pilgrim