Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-07-12

afterwards Sir Walter. passed his first
school years at public school, which had
been fitted up within the Old abbey walls.
and formed the acquaintance of the broth
erS Ballentyne, the printers of the kelso
Mail, who afterwards became the grea
novellst's publishers. 1t Is out three miles,
for ! have tramped it. from ke!so TO the for
mer home of Thomson. author of The Sea
sons. And over there on that emerald
haugh opposite the city. where the TeviOr
and Tweed unite. once stood the royal cas-
tie of Royhurgh, pc haps the first of Scot
lands StupendOuS border castles, now the
site of
A FAMOUS ANIMAL BORDER FAIR.
a little farther to the westward are the
sylvan jed of Thomson and its lovely
vale. and the old shire town of Rox bureh-
shire, waspish, uncomprOmising but beauti-
full .ledburgh. No tourists ever come 10 il,
but here Is a known antiquity of over 1000
Years; and an abbey nearly 500 Years old.
wonderfully interesting in the mixed
character Of its arches and interlaced ar
cade: the schoolboy home of Thomson:
and the place in whose ancient castle, cele-
braued III song and story. the spectral mask
appeared at the marriage festivities of
Alexander III. IT. the hard Old bur9h. the
scene of countless grim and CORY clashingS
III border warfare, i'll ancient times scores
of male GipSieS were hanged, and dozens of
female GlpSleS We're drowned i'll TeViOt' :
singing waters. Indeed here originated the
term Scotch justice or ''.Iethart justice, -"
implying the practice Of first hanging and
subsequently Judging a culprit And
roundabout. every hill. stream and noun
tain glen is given weird fascination by re
mains OF Roman camps and fortresSes, with
uncounted relics in tumuli and crcmechs of
the Gaelic age beyond.
And thus. all the way through this Dor
derland OF cloud-kissed hills and misty val
leyS TO the Irish sea. Il book thrilling with
legend. romance and sad and glorious his
tory could be made upon every city, town
or Stun brouS clachan ana hamlet Here
AT Langholm. at the meeting of the waters
OF the Ewes and Esk i'll lovely Eskdale
with ancient WauchOpe castle hanging from
the brow of the precipiCe above, is a per-
feet mine of weird memories for ronlancer
or poet, with myriad scenic gems for the
artist. Besides, who mas not heard of the
Lang holm witches, and the brankS'' to
subdue them, This was u simple inStru-
ment formed so as TO fit firmly on the head
ana to project into the mouth sharp spike
for Subiugating the tongue. It was much
preferred to the ducking-stool. which not
only endangered the health OF the patient,
but also gave the tongue liberty betwixt
every dip Scores of these patients
We're burned alongside Langholm castle;
ana the spot is as fully as interesting as
our own reminder of the gentle days. Gal
lows hill, at Salem.
Then comes sunny Annandale. Il is also
unknown TO tourists. Yet it seems 10 me
in a few particulars TO possess extraordinary
interest. At the very border is little Gretna
Green, one of the most famous courts OF
Hymen on earth. where William LANG,
village postman and. Gretna priest" still
ties the nuptial knot, for consideration.
with his weakened and deaf old wife as
witness. At Lochmaben are the ruins of
one of the Oldest and certainly one of the
most historic of ancient Scottish castles.
the first home in Scotland Of Robert the
Bruce. In Amman, where those wonderful
phenomena, the tide bores of the Solway
may be best seen, is the birthplace of the
greatest and most unfortunate of all Scot
fish preachers, Edward Irving And at
Ecclefechan is found an almost unknown
yet noble shrine, as the memories of men
are measured, the birthplace and grave of
grabbed crafty, mighty. and
GLORIOUS OLD THOMAS CARLYLE.
And even now you are at the threshold of
another border region. magnificent Niths-
dale. Here. at its sweet old metropolis,
legend-haunted Dumfries town, your eye