The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-12
HOME OF WALTER SCOTT
4 LENGT my DESCRIPTION OF REAU-
TIFUL ABBOTSFORD.
The Wizard of the North Began to Build
1t In 1911" The Room Where Sir
Walter Done His Working"

structed house, whose browning charm is
that Of association with the great novelist
and poet.
Abbotsford is the creation Of Sir Walter
Scott for he redeemed IL from a moor
land farm, with the hopeiessiy common
place cognomen Of CLARITY Hole" and by
degrees. as his fancy dictated, built the
beautiful mansion which stands upon the
banks Of the Tweed, lasting memorial
Of the authors ambition and incessant
industry.
The more eUphOnious name OF Abbots-
ford was bestowed upon the place after
Sir Walter Scott became its owner Dor
rowed from the ford across the Tweed.
and the Abbot Of MelrOse. An old Roman
road led from the Eildon Hills 10 this
ford. From the rising ground on the
north bank Of the river the remains Of
the old British barrier. the Catran We're
stu 10 be seen, and this may have pos
sibly somewhat Influenced Sir Walter fla
the selection OF this site for a home,
as well as the fact that IL made him the
possessor Of the whole Of the ground of
the famous Border Battle of Nieirose.
from Skirmish Field 10 Turn-Again, and
Thomas the Rhymers Glen.
In 1911 he began TO build the house, but
until each within and fancy Of the owner
became materialized in stone, and every
variety Of turret gable, pinnacle and
balcony abound I'm charming confusion.
The walls OF the house, as well as those
or the garden, are set with curious Old
scuipnred stones. gathered from famous
ruins and ancient buildings in all parts OF
the country. In the lower court. at the
west end Of the house, is the door Of the
Old TolbOoth Of Edinburgh, for which "a
place has been made. The best view Of
the house is from the river. The back
ground Of foliage. the greensward sioping
down TO the rivers banks, and the gentle
flow Of the placid stream, all combine 10
make fair picture. During the winter
months Abbotsford House is closed 10 Wis
itors, but throughout the summer strang-
ers are admitted from the hours Of 1880
to z. NJ, except upon Sundays.
We enter on the cast side Of the house.
through a porch that has been constructed
IN imitation Of one in Linithgow Palace
The entrance Is adorned with magnificent
antlers, and the walls Of the vestbule are
panelled with carved oak from Dumferm-
line Kirk.
Except I'm the drawing-room. all the
roofs in the mansion are of antique carved
oak, relieved by coats-of-arms placed at
by cornices with heads, some beautiful
and others grotesque, copies OF the archi-
lecture Of Melrose and Rosslyn. The ar
mortal bearings Of the Douglases. the
/ SCOTS, the Kers, and other Of the Border
clans who "keepit the Marchys Of Scot
land in the old TYNE for the kynge," are
around the cornice. Stained glass win
dows are upon one side Of the hall. and
the spaces between these windows are
hAs.H iii.
and stays horns. There are two semi
circular presses between the windows.
made from boards which were originally
the pulpit I'm the old kirk az Dumferm-
lire, and which IS commonly called Frs
kine's Pulpit. The statue Of ST. Andrew
IS in a carved niche over the east door,
while ST. Peter and St. Paul, all copied
from statues in MelrOse Abbey stand at
the west end. The stone fireplace is a
piece Of beautiful carving. and Is model
ed after the "Abbots Stall" in the clois-
ter at Melrose. A Louis XIV. clock. which
IS said 20 have once been the property of
Marie Antoinette. stands upon the mantel-
shelf, with a model Of the skull Of Bruce.
and two different models Of the skull OF
Shaw. the Life-guardsman. VINO killed six
men at Waterloo
At the left OF the fireplace is an old
c.est, which is OF particular interest
since # is claimed 10 be the "Alistietoe
Chest" IN which the fair Ginevrd hid
In the centre window stands a glass
box, which contains the last suit of
clothes worn by Sir Walter. ana among
the armor on the south wall hangs the
ancient hat which was used 10 invest
the Bu-gesses Of Stow. The black and
white marble tiles upon the floor came
from the Hebrldes, and there Is so much Of
interest In this one ecartmeut that the
visitor could linger for some little space.
If the guide did not lcok back TO see
that no one tarrled longer than the allot-
ted time
From the vestbule we enter the ar
mOry. i'm which the lover of the antique
and the curious might spend hours with
out eXhausting its contents. The walls
are hung with weapons Of every imag-
Unable variety, some OF which are val
liable as curiosities, some from assoeia-
lions, and all Of which are Of interest,
because Sir Walter arranged them with
his own hands, and had a particular
affection for each piece IL would be
impossible 10 give a list OF even the
most interesting articles in this room.
but a brief mention VIII give Az idea
of their variety. A small Japanese knife;
n Chinese sabre; an Albanian long knife;
a Moorish curved dagger; an African
dagger: a Malay short sword Goorka
knife: a Hindustan P0ygar's knife;
necklace Of human hair, from the Sand
Vrtch Islands. a necklace of engraved hui
man homes. from the Sandwich Islands;
a Chinese Tartar sword; a Malay long
knife a Spanish bull lighters knife,
North American Indian broad fat knife
an old "Jocktileg' or Scotch clasp knifei
a Persian dagger; a Kafiir battle axe.
Besides these curiosities there are many
guns which are Of special interest; some
Of which belonged 10 Sir Walter ana
were used by him, and one whlch was
the property Of Rob Roy.
Sir Walters STUDY Is, Of course the
room Of supreme interest, and the chdll
end desk still stand in their accustomed
piece. as though their owner had but Just
left them. and would presently come back
10 his accustomed place 20 weave me
romances which would keep their hold
I'm the worlds literature through all tine,
or pen the poems whose rhythm was set
10 a melody OF his own.
Here" says the solemn guide. with a
wave OF his nand. here's the room where
sir Walter done his working
Although he Is evidently proud Of be-
longing 70 the Scott family, and takes a
deep interest IN everything about the
house one cannot avoid the inference
mar sir Walters working In his eyes
was of no wonderful nor mysterious quail
ity. working" IL was, and working
he would have called II in the same tone.
had il been the cobbllng Of shoon, IN
stead OF creating characters that Will live
on mn the hearts OF men when whole gene
- -. ~ e1.h ar4 blOOd creatures VIII