Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-09-14

your table, with dainty pot of "clotted"
cream, delft pot of odorous tea beneath
u pretty ''cosey,h and her most winsome
smile and purring potherings around
you, smooth away your frowns, until
You half forgive their rank duplicity in
the snug and CHEEKY comfort you have
found. IL is the same in Scotland as in
England. The CHALET only differs. Ask
only for ham and eggs and tea. You
will then always be served quickly and
well. Besides your bill will be. less; for
you will be accounted an old and wise
traveller.
Boswell says DIR. johnson and himself
had "a good nights rest" at their inn at
Ohan, where they breakfasted at their
leisure, but could "get but one bride
here, which according to the maxim,
detur digniori, was appropriated to DIR.
Johnson's sheltie." My rest was equally
as good, whether or not the story of DR..
lohnson's occupancy of the inn and
room had been forgivable fiction; but
my breakfast was at NY landlady's
leisure rather than at my own. While
waiting for the meal l heard issuing
from the region of the scullery quaint
Highland song like those which might
have at times RECALLED the ears of the
great photographer in his famous jour-
ney to the Hebrides. Here is the first
stanza, Gaelic and all:
'Se Coire-cheathaich, nan aighean siubbh-
ZACH,
An Coire rumach is urar fonn.
Gu lurach miad'theurach, min-gheal,
sughar,
Zach iIisan fiuar bu chubhraidh lean;
Gu molaeh, dubh-ghorm, torrach, luisi ca
gaeh,
Corrach, pluranach, dlu-ghlan, GRIM.
Caoln, ballach, ditheanach, canuch. mis-
leanach
Gleann mhilltich's an lionmhor mang.
My own misty Corrie, by deer ever
haunted,
My beauteous valley, my own verdant
| dell,
Soft, rich and grassy with sweets ever
From every fair flower love dear and
well;
Thickly all growing, brightly all blowing,
over It's shaggy and green-darkened
Moss, canach and daisies adjoining its
mazes;
Through which gambols lightly the 1.-the
graceful tawn
This led to a discovery of a peculiar
domestic feature of Oban during the
busy summer months. Huge daughters
OF the Western Island crofters come
here and enter service in the ruder yo-
cations OF scullery and kitchen maids,
though some are employed as chamber.
maids. Fewcan speak English, but they
are apt and docile, and prove the best
servants that can be found They do
not spend a penny of their earn
ings during the entire season, and
their only pleasures are found in
their occasional evening ceilidh
pronounced "kailey'D or gossiping
party, in the kitchens of boarding.
houses and inns, and tue Sabbath Gallo
services which are held for this class
and the Oban fishermen in the Free
Church, When the season is over they
sail away to Lewis OF Skye, bare-legged
bare-headed, singing their songs OF
hone-going rapturously, the happiest
folk in all the world that they mayhap
carry with them enough sovereigns to
rescue their parents from want against
bad crops or ill-luck with the fishing.
boat. The entire years rent of the little
croft is often thus paid; and when
knew their story and the humble hero.
ism Of their lives l was glad that chance
had brought me TO aninn so modest that
the revelation had its source through a
scullery maids Gaelic song.
But o ban has its princely hotels, its
superb inns, its aristocratic boarding
houses and its beautiful villas. Ii is 3
winsome town, almost wholly composed
of these, nearly in the heart Of the west
ern Highlands, just at the edge of the
vast maze of Western Islands, sounds
and lochs, and strung like necklace Of
pearls along the edge of semi circular
bay, so beautiful, SO shut away from tin,
thunderous Firth of Lorne and the Sc;
by the rocky Isle of Herrera, and still
so tenderly within the arms OF Ber
Cruschan and other Highland peaks
that from any point of view it appeal
to sight and sentiment with sense o
restfulness and repose.
EDGAR L. NAKEMAN.