The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-05-13
A DAY IN EDlNBuRG.
Points of Interest in the Famous Scottish
Town-A Portland Mans Observations.
Correspondence of the Press. !

Fourteen inches of snow fell last night
on the Highlands, which is unpreced-
ented. The edge is not yet off from
winter and an ulster is needed by Maine
Yankee, although the natives scorn an
outside wrap and many children,
as well as few women are seen
on the street bare-footed. In fact we
have not been comfortably warm since
we left the quiet zephyrs of the. Great
Natural Seaport.
This ancient metropolis of bonny Scot
land, so unique and so rich in historic
interest, always will be one of the most
attractive to the tourist The new town,
south of the beautiful Princes street
gardens, is modern, massive and tidy.
Here are the banks, insurance buildings,
hotels and palatial mercantile establish
ments. But across the valley, over on
the hillside and SUBMITS of old Edinboro,
the Edinboro of romance and history,
the Edinboro of our dreams, all is
ancient, musty, and-yes, filthy,
In the old town the student
OF history reyels for all along down the
steep, High street from the castle to the
palace every step is historic ground.
Edinboro Castle fist claims the tourists
attention. 1t rises 500 feet above the sea
level. 1t is one of the oldest and strong
est fortresses in the world. We asked
the guide if it was not impreguable.
His reply was Eyes, before the invention
of shot and POWDER and thus he told
us an interesting tale, which I do not
remember to have heard before Once
upon time, centuries ago. q hair
Drained youth, son of the then keeper or
commander of the castle, was accustomed
to descend over the rock to the town be-
low by means of rope ladder for the
purpose of visiting his afianeed. The
young man, tempted by a large bride of
the enemy, allowed small company of
men one night to use his rope ladder
and thus the castle was surprised and
captured The chief features of inter-
terest inthe old fortress are St. Margaret's
chapel, the oldest and smallest chapel in
Scotland, Queen Mary's apartment
where King James was born, the crown
jewel room. Mons Mog the big gun, the
old beacon that used to signal Dunbar
tan Castle, the Parliament House, the
Monastery. and last but not least the 500
Hlghlanders who are garrisoned here.
Passing through the seven gate, over
the draw bridge we slowly wend our way
toward Holyood. Here on the right is
ST. Giles Cathedral, over 1000 years old,
where John Knox preached and where
Jenny Goodies threw her stool at the
head of the Dean of Edinburg and put an
end to Episcopary as the established re-
ligion of Scotland. just below is the
house of the great Reformer and over
the way near at hand is the site of old
Tolbroth, celebrated in Scott's Heart of
Mid Lothian. But we FASTENED our steps
to the place of all others, the most interest
ing, the Royal Chapel and Palace at the
BOTTOM of the street and overshadowed
by Arthur Seat which looms S00feet into
the clouds. The chapel was erected in
the eleventh century and was gift from
King David to the Roman Catholic
church. Here James the ". was mar
ried to Margaret, and here the nuptial
knot was tied between the Inflated Mary
and Lord Darnley. The building now
practically is in ruin only the walls
standing. But Hollywood adjoining
still remains in all its glory linking the
old with the new for here once a year
Queen Victoria makes her home for a
few days as she passes through Scotland
Queen Mary's rooms, the old banquet
ting hall and Lord Darnley's apartments
are open to the public for inspection.
Nothing can excite ones interest more
than when stepping into Mary's supping
room, he beholds the scene of that hor-
rible tragedy when Raccio, her private
secretary, was brutally stabbed by the i'm
beetle husband. AS we recall the event,
of those trying days in which the unfor-
tunate, enchanting Queen lived, the tragic
death of Lord Darnley, the marriage of
that cruel monster Boutwell,, Mary's i'm
prisonment in Boutwell, Castle, her es-
cape to Queen Elizabeth only to be be-
headed,-as these blody times come up
as panorama before the minds eye, the
heart is sick, and we are glad to hail
passing hanson. What an enjoyable
ride, and how that drivers tongue set in
motion by a six-pence ceaselessly wags.
Over Carlton Hill with its many monu-
ments, Edinburg could be called the mon
umental city and superb views, down by
the High School where the Prince of
Wales and the Duke of Wellington were
educated, passing the Register House
on our right and the postofice on our
left, we enter that grand boulevard, ST.
George street Here are innumerable at
fractions in the way of churches, gard
ems, statues, asylums and all sorts of
public buildings. Over yonder is the
great hospital, with its extensive grounds
and superb location, which even Queen
Victoria's money can't purchase. Fl. R.
Fl. coverts this for palace in which she
may abide-poor, homeless creature. By
the way, scrape Great Britain high and
low. from coast to coast, you can't find a
person who does not respect, yea love
the grand old lady. Would she might
have a score of years more added to her
life. America is the best country and
the best governed country Gods sun
shines upon. Yet we are forced to join
in the refrain with all the Christian Eng
lish speaking race.
''God save the Queen"
I haven't given a detailed description of
Edinburg for | presume the story is
familiar to most of the readers of the
PRESS.
Every American crossing the Atlantic
should not miss the romantic city of
Burns and Scott. V. r. Foss.
PERSONAL AND PECULIAR.
Senator Stanford cOOtnnnnIa+ac crivinu