The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-26
A SHORT, BUT NOT
SWEET EXPERIEN CE.

Tie address was in a southern suburb,
and convenient to the Queens Park, so that
pictured In my own mind how delightful
it would be to wander over Arthurs Seat
and Salisbury Crags when Icould spare an
hour from my studies. The tramway-car
took NE within very short distance of
Edna Terrace, and on going up one stair
al No. 7-aS the letter directed mel saw
shining brass dooT-pls!e, on which was dis.
played tie name Miss MacSpleuchan."
rang the bell, and the door was opened
by not very tidy servant who, in answer
to my query if Miss MacSpleuchau were in,
replied;
yer feet hrst"
/ wiped my feet-as a matter OF course,
not because size BID me-aDd was shown into
nice little sitting-rOOm. The lady herself
entered Immediately. She was elderly,
slightly lame, l thought, and spoke with
Highland accent
pose"
Exactly. I thought it bes: to see them
before engaging them"
yes. yes. to be sure Well, this is the
sit ing-rOom, and this is the bedroom"
showing me a small room leading off the
sitting-roOm. Il think you will find them
very comfortable il they suit you, and | will
be glad to make you feel at home Oh yes,
yes"
ION. yes. yes very quiet, not 'wheesh."
"No other lodgers?'
"Oh, no, no; just my niece, Flora, stays
with NE. and she's out all day teaching"
resolved to give the rooms trial, and
paid a week In advance, saying would take
possession on Monday.
The lady then became very loQuacious and
gave me a biographical sketch OF her family
history for generations back.
imagine that she wanted TO impress upon
me that il was no mean honor to be allowed
to reside as LOGGER in her house, for she
was a direct descendant Of The MacSpleu-
chan of that ilk.
By curious perversion of words-which
Is by no means uncommon in the Highlands
she spoke OF her ancestors as her pos
terity."
genealogy, she was even more proud of her
mntber's "posterity" Some great-graat-
10 the celebrated O. Callum 0 g, who had
held feudal sway in q castle on the shores of
LOrh Skeuedhu. and had made tributaries
IF all the clans between Ben HColichan aud
Ben MacSneesh while in more recent times
her grandfather's second cousin had been
nipe-maior of the Mactartan Highlanders at
Waterloo!
On her asking me if I had never read in
history of the great Callum dig, pleased
her Immensely by saying no doubt l had,
and that unless my memory was very de-
fpctive he belonged to the race of either
Cog or MagOE, and ! rather thought he was
liueal descendant OIL W, hIQg oil BaSldQ.
This somewhat apOcryphal venture in
Celtic penealOgy raised me at once in her
, estimation, and she remembered that she
had "heari her minister and other old
women in the North speaking of the King
of Pashan when she was young" Before
leaving remarked that her servant looked
somewha uncouth aud rude. She replied:
"Oh, yes yes; she's not such a very
proper person she might be-, hut you see
she's from the South-IumfTies; but she
L. IF III
On Monday morning l sent my traps out
10 Edna Terrace. with message that |
would be home at TO dinner. For dinner l
had nice chop, well cooked, and cup Of
very good cuffee Miss NJ. hoped l would
be pleased, for. as l had omitted to order
anything, size was not sure If l would be
satisfied with such plain dinner. | SAID
''Oh, IFS all right If take fancy for
anything particular III let you know. II
not. Just anything cOnvenient-what you're
preparing for yourselves will do, I'm not
very particular.
Tie evening passed quietly; I was busy
with my books, and congratulating myself
that nv lines had fallen in pleasant places
when, about 9 o'clock, l heard the sound of
several voices laughing and talking in the
next room. The partition walls-as is the
case in most modern hOuses-were of the
thinnest description, ami l could easily hear
Miss Flora saying:
- Come. Bella, you must do those scales
over again, you were very imperfect the
last night" To which Bella replied.
''Oh, really, Flora, that's too bad!'
Then the lingering OF the scales began,
accompanied by 'one, two, three, one,
two, three" IN such painfully monotonous
-reiteration, that had to close my books and
go out for stroll. l returned before
eleven, and was glad to find the music had
ceased. / met Miss NJ in the lobby, and l
thought she appeared to be more lame and
less dignified than usual-in fact, thought
she seemed risky, even, as she remarked:
You see, Flora teaches some young
ladies who are engaged in business during
the day, but hope you like music. and will
not he disturbed
"How often do they come?''
"Twce week-Monday and Thursday"
''Oh. that's all right. Pm often out on
those nights.
soon turned into bed, and was Just drop
ping off TO sleep when l was startled by the
humping of heavy feet on the floor above
me; accompanied by loud voices singing, or
rather, roaring, snatcheS of songs Very
soon l was Mortified by hearing the sound
of a wretched German concertina, the
stunning of banjo, and the rattle of
'bOnes."
"Good gracious" said to myself. is this
the quiet lodging | have sighed for? Oh, IL
will only be some small party, and may
not be bothered again"
tried 10 sleep with this consoling ref1ec-
ton, but, alasi it was long after 1 o'clock
in the morning before the din ceased
In the morning 1 asked the servant:
docs that internal noise upstairs occur
often?"
'Ay, over ofn; near every NIGHT. It's
thae deil's buckles O Spigors. the publican
up abune. They blek thr faces like nee
gurs an ca thirsels Chirsty's ministers. or
something. 1t was naething last NIGHT !:
whites thiI's dizzen felly's in alang wi
them. win ye hae a egg or herrinf tae
yer brekGst?"
IAN egg, please"
"rhir,ss name in the hose; better tax
herrin ?"
why did you ask me if you haven't got
100, JUST tae be ceevil."
Tel your mistress want to see her"
AUD Luckie? 1e Gamma see her; she's
no. up yet She broke her trikker la II NIGHT
an, shell need tae lie in her bed till tax
it tae the mendn'."
BROKE her triggerl What do Won mean p"
Her wudden leg. Did ye no ken she
had trikker?"
mo: l noticed she was little lame, but
didn't know she had an artificial limb"
RS no. q narlyIeesh'l limb. Itell We it's
awudden legl What dye want tae yer den
ner the day?"
Anything you have In the house: what
ever yon are making ready, so as not to
bother Miss MacSpleuchan."
Yer daicent chap, yer no. i'll tae please.
Could yer lens thrippence?"
Lend you threepence? What fort"
En-, man. Pm awful bad wi mama
stammicS; it's tae get-a-a poother.''
Why not ask your mistress for it?"
"Sbe's sleepin', an Miss Florry's oot..'
You don't take drink, hope?"
me? me take drink? g'way WI We, yer
jokin',"
Having no coppers / gave her shilling,
and told her would get the change when /
came home / began now to think that my
lines had not fallen In pleasant places, and
that had better keep sharp watch on my
Ioug.pedigreed landlady and her maid of all
work.
When I came homo to dinner tho precious