Telegram-herald., 1890-10-11

Ihs Aozrh ef Silence Among rhe
Birds @ scotia
THOUGHTS o. Al Old ROgs ROAD
kgpasf~ 9nstnv sf- Stssl gf@a slAes shteE-
So hAsatsen aaasf~1 A~ar~ Age
-DseF 49, n ss8s "hAs
AlssAeFy 81 seets-


of scotland. l0a see al manner 81
tbem here and there nying lSEly Gloss
30 tne earth, or r0mnSuugy 20 SEQ
upon swsyng tOughs a. If overcoale
~ IN pensiFensss and melancholy. TIE
c Consciousness 81 this autmnusl silence
Of the songsiers comes upon you sud
deuly ss you tramp by hedge and field
along these grand old Scottish ways.
You turn aside with an impnlse 10 dis-
cover ia tie forest II il be = seeming or
a reality. Leapng 3 wall which separ-
ates YOU from a copp.ce already tinted
with the first delicate penchngs OF the
frost, AMI plungng among the brush
sad hramhles at lis edge, you fad
ragged hollow. TINS can be clearly
traced, straight as az arrow, for & long
distance There ls wonderful fasc-
nation in this bramble-coyered sWal.
You pother about il Tor a little, snd iind
it paved With huge stones. More dig
ging discloses solid walls setbeneath the
rubbish az Il sides. You have discoy-
cred an old Roman Road. The sea IL
sell hardly broke the line OF this stout
old artery, along which once surged
! the iron blood of Rome. Stern Agrlcola
rode at the head of his legions past the
very spot on which you are standing.
Almost ceaseless ides of warriors swept
over this road to Mons Grampus, that
ten thousand slain and stark CaledOnian
barbsrians might form an impossible
wall 10 the mist-wreathed mountains
beyond. Eighteen hundred years
have pissed since Jealous Domitian
recalled to Rome this invinclble
leader of steel-mailed slaughterers,
aud the glowing pen of Tacitus told the
snrra assing bravery of the skln-clad
Northmen who fell beneath his on
slaughts; hut as you linger upon the
old Roman Road, dreaming until the
sun is almost level with the far noun
tain-tops. flaming their blue heather
marvelously, countless wraiths pass and
repaSs in olden battle array. Then
that II Is the nineteenth and not the
first century upon which the sun is
shining ls recalled to you by the face of
a keenly Observant but solemn collie
dog breaking between some clumps of
golden broom above your head. He has
been mndng flock of sheep, grazing
vonder on the brae-side; and he has
stepped aside for 4 moment to inter-
rupt your vagarous fancles about Agri-
cola and all the other grim old fellows
Of his hloOd-lettirg & time, and To study
your intentions and possibly examine
your credentials. You beg his pardon
for the trespass; leap the wall to the
highway again; gaze back down the
valley upon q score of red-roofed ham.
lets: push forward TO the wavside inn
where You are to tarry; and between
the walls of its huge chamber, you
march in dreams from the Seven Hills
| to the Grampians, with mailed hosts
| and forests of spears, along that old
Roman Road throughout the livelong
night.
Nature wears other aspects than
/ those of sunshine and gladness IN Scot
| land. The rain fall. as though tum-
! bled upon you 10y mischievous elves
! who have watched for your coming;
and the fog and the mist flap about
/ the mountains and slap the face OF the
! glens and valleys like ships unstayed
sails pounding It's deck IN u storm. But
! you find a {, vercIgnty of elatIon anu
( eXaltation IN wandering alone among
| the scenic glOrles of any land; even
! in Scotland through a midst as thick aS
| Strathglass pOrrdge. A good staff or
| stick, stout pair of legs, q receptive
/ mind, and above all a CHEEKY and sym
| pathetic heart, whatever your luck,
are the regal companions for such lott
/ erlngs. Nature never fails To appear to
/ single devOtces at her III lad doors and
windows, ever shut TO nosv crowd
l with radiant welcOmngs. How witch
| ing the morning S, half disclosing tn,
WOnarOus charms of valley, haugh
! loch, river. glen and mountain! AT
| times scarcely can your hand ne seen
| before you for the strange eddles, curl
| iugs and fantastic convOlutlons of the
log. There is your road, centuries old
/ aud as hard "a Scotch wit, beneath your
/ Iect. You can not mistake that. What
IS TO the right or left, or before, only
| your fancy, quickened by the morn
ing's awakening life, intensified by near
and far mysterious sound, can locate
| and divine. Tramp, tramp, tiamp,
brayely as you may. these grow into
| consciousness 80 imperative OF recognI.
ton, that. despite yourself, ever and
again you stop to listen, listen. Drip,
drip, drip, from the leaves of the
hedges into water-basins of rock. the
great drops striking Ike silver pellets
upon swinging glass, until the very
chimes of the fares ung IN your ear,
beside the road. Not 3 rod away. bat
invisible, rivulets OF the nights making
wimple from rocks % pools, from tue
stacCato of tenor triIls to the barytOne
minors of stately palms. just AZ your
side goose Will suddenly hiss as IT
/ reaching with It's long neck from the
/ door puddle beside some invisible sheel-
Ing, to snap at you from behind the
I curtalning INST. Beyond or behind
! some chained dog. making a dismal
/ hewgag Of kennel door and chain, leaps
/ iu and out bsylug % lts pcssant-master
I of untunely footsteps. over your head
I the restless abrasion Of bougns whispers
l that the leaves from their very We ght
OF foz-cups. s.gh and moan as if I'M
/ patient of their sunless prIsOning.
I He'd gc-uranches crackIs from the
+ wsfcr-veight ss in the frost-o1ttles OF
approaching winter Here and there.
/ a. the heavy breezes move q triae.
/ comes tie hesItsut p'pe Of stirring h.r3.
/ the patter of Wild mares feet upou tac
/ q ppefy leaves. the hslf-cauEht. h0arse
/ resonance of hlddeu waterfall. while
f FAINT aud Tar and strangely mufiiei the
f notes of scho0i bells. bv little Ciscnaus
+ n the distance. steal along Gre folds 81
+ TIE ciinEiug mfst. Making yo8r way Is
+ sonae nfnes Hse pushing through 1a.-