The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1893-09-09
WAKENAN'S WANDERINGS
IN AND ROUND ABOUT A SCOT
TlSH SUMMER RESORT.


0ban, Between the Scottish Highlands
and lslands-A White City set in En-
erald and Blue and Rimmed by Ghost
ly Mountain Peaks-Its Habitues,
Warily Decorous in Passive Pleasures
Subsist in Sort of Droning Purring
Of Quiet-Charaeterful Folk, Incl
dents and Scenes.
OBAN, SCOTLAND, Aug. IS, 1893
The purple shadows of evening were
falling among its heather swarded
corries when we whirled through the
Pass of Awe. Then came long
stretch Of desolate looking heath.
Then followed dim glimpses of the
weird ruins of Castle Dunstaffnage
and the misty Falls of Lora. So it
was night, with picturesque lights
and shades upon the Sound, and a
gentle hum of quiet aud repose with
in the streets, when the train crept
into Oban, the most noted watering
place of Scotland, and fine large
creature with the dialect of Skye
and an atmosphere of usquebaugh
guiltless of the faint of excise, after
informing me with winsome honesty
that both himself and all the hotels
were FLU, for silver saxpence, in
hand paid, conducted me with some
forgivable detour and delay to a very
old, very tiny, but still very tidy
and comfortable inn.
The guidwife of the inn had some
doubts about admitting me. She
heard my wanderers story in silence,
and examined my credentials criti-
caIly. Then she retired for wills
pered consultation with her female
servants, during which | overheard
with some trepidation the remark !:
HE Gamma be muckle wi but ain
wee handbag
30, ay," was urged by another
voice, "but mony Yonkees ha' god
teed oop i theer claes.'
"Aweel, I'll take him 'ernicht, an
put him i tn Dochter's room, if he s
ma i'll to tholen'
She babe me enter with some as
perity, lighted candle and conduc-
ted me up narrow winding stair.
We entered large, low ceilinged
room, with two tiny windows like
embrasures of fortalice, whose fur
niture consisted solely of high, old
fashioned bed, a rickety table of deal,
a huge arm chair and rag carpet
of the olden zig gag pattern. She
set the candle upon the deal table
with bang, and then with the air
of comforting some wondrous favor
abruptly asked:
Dye ken where We are noo?'
| gave it up as pleasantly as
could, not yet being familiar with the
geography of Oban.
we ken ABBOTT Dochter johnson?
The great Doctor johnson who
once visited Scotland with Boswelll'
"Ay, that's the mon. Ye'ye got
ten the varra room he adged in; he
had the bonniest nicht here in Scot
land. I'm sure though the hoos was
weel quat o him, he snoored sac load
tn plaster a crackit But you had
the same chair, the same bed and a
lis muckle delight to a. that COON.
And the same bed clothes?'
asked ruefully, with glance at the
stuffy belongings. You know, my
good woman, that was 100 years
ago"
Il doot, sir" she answered with
spirit, 'ye're takin' me oop wrang.
Dinna be sac muckle auldmou'd.
Deed tn claes ha' been weel WASN'T
syne"
And with this the good wife snap
ped herself out of the room in high
dudgeon, but returned shortly in re-
stored good humor and with request
for my order for tea For the bene-
fiG of those who come after me, l
should reveal the truth that it is one
thing to order meal at Scottish inn
and quite another accomplishment
to secure what you are led to believe
the hostel affords. do not refer to
those large and respectable city &C.
Establishments where, ifyour bill may
be more confusing than at the aver
age American hotel, your comfort
will be quite as well looked after,
but to those countless pretty and
coy places of entertainment one
must needs so often resort to in eX-
tended travel in the interesting pro
vincial regions of Britain.
After a long days journey the
least carnal of us will dwell upon en-
ticing visions of savory chops and
lucious cold joints, and the appetite
is even bold enough to modestly
plead for warm potatoes. Settled at
your inn, these forgivable longings
find immediate expression. You de-
eide on having a nice tidy supper
served in your own room. What
would you like for tea, sir?" evokes
the hopeful inquiry as to what there
may be most handy and hearty in
the house. "Oh, anythink at all you
like, sir" is invaribly the placid re-
Spouse. Rapturous professions of
steaming toothsome things are in
stantly conjured. You suggest a
mutton chop, thick, rare and hot,
plate of cheese, tea or coffee and
cream, waiter, by all means cream,
and perhaps toast or biscuit. Your
waiter begins to wear look of pain
ed surprise. "Pll see at once, sir,
and he disappears for such a ruesome
time, that you are in proper mood
for compromise when he returns with
"Ihe chops are bout, sir, an l was
told to say, sir, 'ow as we never
serves pertaters for tea, sir" "Oh,
very well; make it some cold joint
and cheese then; plenty of it now;
and here's a sixpensc for yourself,
Look sharp now, I'm hungry.
There is laggardness in his step and
tone, but he answers you respectful
ly enough: "All right sir, I'll see
directly"
A long time now elapses. You
begin to really worry. Perhaps you
may have the temerity to pull the
tassel of a huge bell cord, and alarm
ingly hear the resultant changing
and clamor like that from the efforts
of new set of change-ringers. A
shock headed maid pumps her shock
head within the door. She, too,
seems alarmed, and she asks, what
might you be wantin" sir?' You
toss her a sixpence and explain.
She also says she'll see about it di-
rnctlN ,Eha NC ifnr NJ lannth fnnn