The record-union., 1893-09-02

mIsts rom sea and mount, which intensi-
hes this seeming, and is very dear to the
heart of British artists. Little is there TO
know or see of gay social life in Oban.
The decorous Scotch nature is ever
warily decorOus in passive pleasures; and
those who are here for the season subsist
in sort Of droning purring of quiet,
which strongly possesses all who come to
idle through day or week. Quiet, rest;
drinking in of the blended sea and
mountain air; a silent contemplation of
all the grand and lavish scenes that
nature spreads to view; perhaps the
gentle mental fire Of coming the ancient
Gaelic pages the centuries have left to read
in the grim ruins OF Castles Dunolly and
Dunstatfnage, in the latter OF which was
kept the ''Stone OF Destiny; i'll the
Cioch-a-C Choin pillar, where Fingal bound
MS dog Bran; in Kerrera's Castle Gylen
ana Dairy field, where the second Alex
ander died, and in the wondrous coming
and going Of tourist folk from every land,
are found the Witching thrall OF Oban.
Its summer folk idle little upon its pretty
streets. They stroll listlessIy in its lanes
and mountain paths. They haunt the
quays and see the steamers come and 90
like dreamers gazing upon the pleasant
scenes Of dreams. The lights are scarcely
ughted IN the long cleaning OF eventide.
And when night, the pale laggard here,
at last appears, Oban and its lazily happy
summer idlers are asleep.
Here as elsewhere in Scotland YOU can
not avoid the humidity, nor can you fail
TO observe one OF the curious effects upon
Scotch people themselves. They are
either wholly Indifferent to it's influence
or seem to possess 3 sort Of liking for it,
from lang syne compani0nship. A fish
poacher will cast his hook in contented-
ness all day long through a steady driz-
zle. All storts Of peasaut-folk along the
/ TO9HGIHa fbaip
in pelting showers, as if utterly uncon-
ciOus of the drenching clement. EXcur-
sion and picnic parties set forth for days
outing in pouring rain with the same
enthusiasm as on clear morning. The
indifference to the mist and the rain may
have become a national characteristic
through the universal use by Scottish
people OF woolen clothing, so perfect III
quality and comfortable texture as to
protect the body from the ill-et1ect of sud
den change in temperature and the chill
OF eVaporatlng moisture. But you cannot
account for the apparent actual liking Of
mist and drlIZle, drI2ZIe and mist, save
on the theory that endless companion
ship, with anything so eXasperating as
! intermittent fog, sun and drizzle in time
gives the habit of liking, if not indeed of
love.
That the Scotch love their mists and
driZzles you have endless proof. "Dear
y
not only the pridetuI appellation for mist
wreathed, drizAe-sprinkled Edinburgh.
one Of the most interesting cities of the
world, but it is the love-name Of all Old
! Scotia itself Any day in the year you
will meet groups Of society ladies or busi-
ness men gathered at crossings or near
important building entrances, CHEEKY as
larks on June morning in their eX-
change Of courtesIes or gossip, while tiny
rills of'rain are merrily coursing from
their ears, chins and noses, or seeking
tolerative vertebrae, the sequestered and
spongy shades of wristbands, hip pock-
cts and Killed skirts. While about George
Square at Glasgow, the old Iron Steeple,
Dunfries, the picturesque landing-place,
and in George street here in Oban, and
along High street or in Waterloo Place,
in Edinburgh, you Will see scores Of peo-
pie standing idly in the rain, as though
they had come out OF irksome and con
timing habItations for an invigorating
sup, literally sup, of this sort of fresh air.
EDGAR l.. WAKEMAN.