Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-02-28

I rose with n mingled feeling of soreness
and bewilderment. My bodily injuries in
deed now caused little inconvenience, but
such was the dire confusion of my mind
that I could not ut once recall the prec e
causes of the turmoil-the thunderbolt of
the letter, the provocation, the folly, the
impending ruin. The effort, when success
full, did not tend to raise the spirits.
A clear perception of the situation was
simply passing from the vague horrors of
a nightmare to the certainties of an obdu.
rate fortune. But necessity has always n
stimulant, and to certain stubborn natures
calamity is its tonic. was braced for
what was in front, if not with Christian
fortitude to bear my wrongs and hardships
at least with adesperate defiance, e determi
nation, deep as the wounds in my soul, to
retaliate with all my might upon my enc
mics. There might be no hope of victory, but
there was wicked satisfaction in prolong-
ing the conflict and rendering evil for evil
even to the bitter endl In the raw atmos-
phere of the dawn, however, my resolu
ton could not keep me from shivering
NV impatience to be off brought me to
the point at which was to take the coach
a good hour too early. That time, for the
want of better employment, spent pac-
ing to and fro on the pavement Of Princes
street, chewing the cud Of very sour rehec-
tions. About me stablemen shouted and
swore, horses clattered into place, and
fussy passengers made commotion for no
reason whatever, as fussy passengers have a
way of doing At another time should
have been amused, but just then babel and
the tongues ten times confounded 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. Atthat
hour the scene was one of transcendent
beauty. Misery itself, which is egotistical
and jaundiced, could not look without
thrill of exaltation on the romantic city
flashing in liquid brightness, as If she had
just arisen, Gripping from bath in the
sea, and glow ng, nay, blazing, with thou.
sand colors that made her pinnacles points
of fire and t. ned her ramparts and but
tresses to opal and amethyst.
Every moL.ent there were fresh enchant.
ments, magical effects OF gold and rose and
gauzy silver, so that Edinburgh, cluster
ing about her hills ami precipices and
broken into ridesccnt peaks and fantastic
pictured masses, seemed Il 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 a
sordid routine Her citizens were coming
forth to their daily toll with the marks of
struggle OH their brows A little while
longer and the sun would look down on
men and women striving WITH each other
for n pittance to keep life in. BY IN. easy
process made their case my own.
The castle alone seemed independent and
uusu bduable, lifted completely above the
trivial and vcxutious affairs of life. The
sentine's steel cleaned on the ba!tl.
ments with stirring and quci;ening su2
gestions of its OWL. thought of the
glory of carrying arms, experiencing III
imagination something Of the shock Of
battle and tie rapture Of victory. Why
should not join the ranks q! those who
gayly sought rcAowu with banner and
music? What more natural to tue hand
of Il highlander than tie hilt of Il sword:
But as ! asked myself tie question the
trumpet blarcll out its summons to mount,
and so instead Of getting into warlike &C
couterments and putting my fortune to
the arbitrament of bloody strokes lis my
lord Stanley has it, took my seat OH the
coach as meek us any Quaker.
We rolled off with regal pomp, our flour
ish of trumpcts and the festive style of our
equipage collecting II group of gazers at
even the early hour of g. But they did
not long feast their eyes on our spendor
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 eXhilarntion was imme.
diate and exquisite There is something in
freedom and rapid motion and vivid sun.
shine and the joval ompanionship of irrev-
erent coachmen and trumpeters and the ad.
miration of blushinR rustic maidens and
mettlesome horses gay with polished trap
pings and flying ribbons that even the un.
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 cozy old
inn, with low black ceilings, yellow sand
ed floors, cheerful display Of kegs, cop
per kettles crystals ana other utensils of
good cheer and m appetizing fragrance
diffused by savory pans and bubbling, hiss
ing ovens. Twas 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 formalty
and grandeur and invisible landlords and
supercilious walters who criticise your
manners and expect eXorbitant tips for do
ingit, butno 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 a
perfectly amiable and fatuous manner over
we'll 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
imperious mien than from the servile at
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 tale, and he wore the loose brown
velvet coat affected by the better class of
horsemen. High about his neck was q
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 lie was
at home lie knew how TO dine. His head