Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-11-22

sOciatiOns none were more priced by ,ne
former than their angling adventures ia
the classic neighborhoOd OF SAINT Mary
Loeb Throughout his brilliant career, out
more especially during its halcyon period,
when the Professor ruled the roOst' OF
The busy. literary life OF Edinburgh lnow
alas a good half-ccntury agOD. Chrls-
TOPPER North was more or less infinitely
associated with many Of the famous
f,en lhen living. With Sir Waiter scott
Wordsworth. De Quincy, COieridge. Jef-
frey, and other literary luminaries, ne
was on the most friendly ana. In some
instances afectionate terms. But OF All
those who-outside his own family circle
were admitted to the inner sanctum OF his
sincere personal esteem and love, none
was, perhaps. so favored as the "Ettrick
SHEPHERD IL is almost impossible 10
write about the one man without the
beaming face OF the other interposng It
self as il were in the minds eye, as II
for recognition. and as II 70 say Aye
we were friends togstheri' BOlh wortnlrs
are now iriissolubly linked IN the bright
est page Of one of the most instructive
and interested periods Of Scottish literary
activity: and. in many respects, apart
from the genius they had In common.
the names OF Christopher North and the
"Ettrlck Shepherd" will ever be asso-
ciated lovingly by their countrymen, ana
in high esteem by all who admire pure
and lofty i'm ginative literature. very
interesting volume might well be written
embodying the narrative or the rare
friendship Of these two men OF genius. IN
its literary. as well as In its piscatorial'
associations To some extent the I'M
mortal "Noctes" supplies this, and in ali
Scottish literature there Is nothing 10
equal, I'm its fine wholesome human ma
ture the picture OF the rough. towsy-
tykeish shepherd in his homespun. mold
ing his own with the great llOn-Orowed
literary giant OF the time In their prolOiS-
ed intellectual bouts at their imaginary
mermaid. As n Is, however. with respect
to the latter aspect OF their friendship that
we are concerned at present the we'll
known scene In the parlor u me old inn
At Gabriels road Che supposed locus OF
the "Noctes'D. where we would rain enter
for while and listen I'm imagination GO
their stirring dialogues on things In
Heaven. things on earth, and things
under the earth. must give place To the
breezy uplanGs OF the Narrow and the
Ettrlck with "lone Saint Marys slim-
neriug Wonder In the distance. In all her
silyery charm. In these classic environ
ments the two worthless oftentimes fore
gathered IN the papable ilesh-ardent hun
gfv. and. Of course, always thirsty, Here
for example. is an extract from letter
OF CHRISTOPHER North 10 his wife, which
Is significant Of the heartiness OF Their
"forsglthering." Writing from the Head
OF Yarrow. in June. 1915. North says:
\ SENTIENT BEING.
81 take time by the forelock merely TO
inform you that | am still a s,niient be-
inr On Monday morning at b
O'clock miracu'ouD | uprose from the
couch OF sumber and walked along tn
Tweed to Traqualr Knowe tdr l-aia-
law'D. Thlre | Ashed and stayed al
Monday. the place being very beautiful
ON Tuesday morning walked To Hogs's'
n distance of about eight miles. fishing
as / went. and surprised him in his cot
tage bottling whisky.
In the charming nelghhorhood Of the
Shepherds Ettrck homes Niogg "ilitted.
about the district of Ettrick several times
before entering on his Mount Benger and
Arrive farm-leases) Christopher North
had abundant scope for pursuing his IA
vorite ? istm- Of angling. \ score OF the
prlmest trouting streams IN Scotland Were
within easy access, not 10 speak or tne
far-famed st. Marys Loeb it. T. and
that lonely mountain-tarn Loeb Skene'
| at one time, and even yet % som eN-
/ tent. almost unriyal "a in the South OF
| Scotland for its nations OF trout'-to
use the expressive phIdss Of native OF
: the district There wer FOR Instance. ;he
/ immem0rial YarrOW and Etrick, Megset,
the main feeder II s.. Mary's. 10 "ios
| deep-po0id bay at the entrance 10 the
| loch) the swans take themselves even
yet on clustering wintry days; ITALIA ana
/ GlmeshOpe whose "Nnns' long ago ran
rel and drumy with the blood OF the
/ Covenant. rs, the Douglas Burn, where
the Spheherd and Christopher tried their
skill together: Crama.t the scene OF
/ Hogs De ightful story the Bridal Of
! POlmOod," and other more or less repu-
| table streams, all within an easy baSle
/ or two (for a ped like the Professor OF
the Shepherds open door. on one mem
/ orable exploit with his rod in this local
/ ity Christopher North had the Shepherd
with him for companion; and Mrs. Gordon
/ in har Memoirs" tells the story, which Is
so excellent that We must be. pardoned for
/ quoting II in eXtensO:
ION one Of these fishing excursions he
/ CHRISTOPHER Nor,h had proceeded from
St. Marys Loeb to PEBBLES where h,
could not get Ambulance To tie inn. 4
. IT was fully occupied hy party Of count,
I gentlemen, met together on some county
/ business; on sending in his name, how
ever. he was Immediately asked TO joir
/ them at dinner 1t Is needless to say
that, under his SPELL the fun grew fas
and furious. ~ one thought OF uOVing
supper was proposed. Wilson (ChrstO
+ phor North asked the company n tn,
liked trout. and forthwith produced O.
result OF his days amusement from bls
/ basket, and pocket. in such numbers tna
/ The table was soon literally covered. \
/ the Shepherd Afterwards said. YOU.
creel was fu'. your shootIn'-bag fu', you.
/ jacket-pouchcs ~, the pouches o YOU
/ vera breeks ~, half dozen wee ane
in your was coat. no TO forget them q.
the Groom o. your hat. and, last v d
| when there was nae place g. stow av
| ony mair. willow wand drawn throus t
/ the giils o some great, BIZ anes.
/ EVER-OPEN DOOR.
with the surroundings Of his favor.
/ st. Mays. where the eyer-op,a do
/ OF T.ubie Shieis far-famed hostel al
made nim Il specially welcome CUES
! Christopher Nolth was perhaps more I
miiar than with any other angling !,
/ sort IN Scotland. There. at all eyents
/ he could always reckon on tsh and lies.
and fun galore. The locally. however
/ yielded but SIN Il results 20 the lcgitlmat
/ Ter IN tn sport OF samon-hshing. l.
! quest Of the ki.g Of the river the ang.e
: must perforce IA away. eastward no, l
/ the Tweed, or b AXE himself south
/ the NTH or the Altman. or HE aa..
! north 10 the Tay and the many exec.
salmon rivers Tor which the Scots
! Ii ghiands are SO renowned. Many "a
| excursion 20 the haunts Of the s4lmO
| did Christopher North make from first
last and many a tussle ala he have with
the noble fish No better instance u one o.
these fights could b. cited than tha
memorable exploit related IN the openin.
chapters OF "Chrlstopher m His Spor..nl
Jacket work that should be IN ever
! spOrtsman's library-but space forbids our
quoting II here. Small wonder was 1t tia,
the great angler himself all too sool
/ stepped aside TO take that rest whici
knoweth no disturbing Though he Wa
blessed beyond most men IN the matte
! constitution and ctaviug UaWer