Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-01-11

ton could not keep me from shlvering.
My impatience to be off brought me to
the point at which I was to take the coach
good hour too early. That time, for the
want of better employment, I spent pac-
ing to and fro on the pavement of Princes
street, chewing the cud of very sour reflec-
lions. About me stablemen shouted and
swore, horses clattered into place, and
fussy passengers made a commotion for no
reason whatever, as fussy passengers have
way of doing. At another time should
have been amused, but just then babel and
the tongues ten times COMPOUNDED could
not have diverted my dismal and ranking
thoughts.
The morning broke brilliant and keen
caller, as they say in Scotland-with the
wind coming briskly off the firth and the
level sun striking with dazzling radiance
on dewy roof and tower and spire. At that
hour the scene was one of transcendent-
beauty. Misery itself, which is egotistical
and jaundiced, could not look without a
thrill of exaltation on the romantic city
flashing in liquid brightness, as if she had
just arisen, dripping from bath in the
sea, and glowing, nay, blazing, with thou
sand colors that made her pinnacles points
of fire and turned her ramparts and but
tresses to opal and amethyst.
Every moment there were fresh enchant-
ments, magical effects of gold and rose and
eauzy silver, so that Edinburgh, cluster
ing about her hills and precipices and
broken into iridescent peaks and fantastic
pictured masses, seemed a poets dream, a
city of fairyland. Yet already, in obedience
to the condition of her existence, she was
bending her neck to the prosaic yoke of
sordid routine. Her citizens were coming
forth to their daily toll with the marks of
c&r1Icp "a IN fhniNe hrn tIn Yxvhi a
longer and the sun would look down on
men Hni women striving with each other
for a pittance to keep life in. By an easy
process made their case my own.
The castle alone seemed independent and
unsubduable, lifted completely above the
trivial and vexatious affairs of life. The
sentinel's steel cleaned on the battle
ments with stirring and quickening sug
gestions of its own. l thought of the
glory of carrying arms, experiencing in
imagination something of the shock of
battle and the rapture of victory. Why
should not join the ranks of those who
gayly sought renown with banner and
music? What moro natural to the hand
of highlander than the hilt of sword2
But as l asked myself the question the
trumpet blared out its summons to mount,
and SO instead OF getting into warlike &C.
couterments and putting my fortune to
the arbitrament of bloody strokes, as my
lord Stanley has it, I took my seat on the
coach as meek as any Quaker.
We rolled off with regal pomp, our flour
ish of trumpets and the festive style Of our
equipage collecting group Of gazers at
even the early hour of 6. But they did
not long feast their eyes on our sp1endor,
for our steeds being fresh and the charioteer
fond of displaying, we were soon out Of tie
echoing streets and bowling merrily along
the highway. The exhilaration was imme-
date and exquisite. There is something in
freedom and rapid motion and vivid SUM-
shine and the joviai companionship of irrev-
erent coachmen and trumpeters and the adj
miration of blushing rustic maidens and
mettlesome horses gay with polished trap
pings and flying ribbons that even the I'M
fortunate and hypochondriac cannot resist.
My spirits, chill and leaden as they were at
starting, were soon in glow, which they
retained moro or less until we drew up
amid shouts of welcome at the Hound
and Stag in Perth, where we were to pass
the night.
The Hound and Stag was coy old
inn, with low black ceilings, yellow sand
ed floors, q cheerful display of kegs, cop
per kettles, crystals and other utensils of
good cheer and an appetizing fragrance
diffused by savory pans and bubbling, hiss
ing ovens. 1t was place which the hun
CRY guest entered with expectations and
left with regret and pleasant recollections.
The traveller can find no such hospitable
refugees now. We have palace hotels and
great gilded dining rooms and formality
and grandeur and invisible landlords and
supercilious walters who criticise your
manners and expect exefbitant tips for do
ing it, but no comfort like that of the Hound
and Stag. That evening the entertain
ment was SO princely that long ere the sup
per was over half my fellow travellers were
uproariously hilarious, and the host took
no offense
Being in no mood for revelry, stole out
through the town and down by the green,
leafy banks of the Tay. When returned
some of the company had prudently gone
to bed, others, less mindful of appearances.
were snoring serenely in their chairs in
every variety of posture that the inconti- |
nent human frame can assume, and one or
two, whom took to be kirk elders on fur |
Tough, were discussing the doctrine Of pre-
destination and eternal punishment in
perfectly amiable and fatuous manner over |
well plenished tumblers of toddy.
But the chief thing to be noted is that
during my absence another guest had ar
rived. That he was man of consequence
was evident no less from his own lofty and |
AL PSAAOlo AAACA ohet1A A1O1A o1lO SCLh I1C az
tentions of mine host. He was booted and |
spurred as though he had just alighted |
from the saddle. A silver mounted riding |
whip and pair of riding gloves lay beside |
him on n table, and he wore the loose brown |
velvet coat affected by the better class of
horsemen. High about his neck was |
huge stiff collar that held his head defiant
ly in the air and kept his ears vigorously at |
attention. An imposing bunch of seals |
dangled from his fob, and his rosy gills and |
portly waist proclaimed that when he was |
at home he knew how to dine His head |
was bald on the crown, and a ragged wart |
marred the symmetry of his nose, which, |
however, was flung in the air with a sempf- |
ternal snort of contempt. His air told he |
was perfectly well aware that when he |
stood his two legs supported the very pink |
of creation.
When l entered, he did me the honor of |
staring hard at me, but almost immediate
ly he brought the tips Of his fingers super
ciliously together and turned his eyes to
the ceiling in manner which said plainly |
he regretted demeaning himself with an ut |
terly insignificant and casual stranger, and |
that he would certainly not do it again. AS |
he was delivering himself silently but i'm |
pressively of these sentiments and resolu- |
tions the landlord hustled into the room |
with bowl of steaming, fragrant toddy, a |
glass and ladle all of which he set down !
with becoming ceremony on small table |
specially placed at the right hand of the |
great man. The great man thereupon took |
his eyes from the ceiling and his eloquent |
finger tips apart and condescended to give
grunt of approval. Thus encouraged the !
landlord became adventurous
II have taken the liberty, SIR he said in |
his suavest manner, with an inclination of |
the body toward his patron, ito put the |
heel of lemon in it. I aye think lemon !
adds to the flavor of the best Glenlivat |
Let me fill your glass, sir. There, 1 think |
you'll find that worth drinking. l had Sir |
Thomas Gordon of The Elms here the other !
day. Something in India or China, I didnna
weel ken which or what-a fine fellow if he |
was ma just SO yellow, but that's the liver,
sir. My word, bad livers'-
Gan nolv comnanionn said the great |