The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-14
FROM BELFAST TO LONDON.
BY a Presbyterian Pilgrim.

By Presbyterian Pilgrim.
Our first Sunday after the ocean voy-
age was spent in the prosperous city OF
Belfast. The evening before we had
been handsomely entertained at a re-
cepton presided over by the Lord
Mayor. Some Of us afterwards con-
fessed to being more dazzled by the
splendor Of the functionary who. erect
and motionless, stood behind the Of
ficial chair, than by the great digni-
tary himself. But. then. we We're plain
republicans and not accustomed to such
adornments.
We were told that Belfast Is a dis
tinctively Presbyterian town, and that
may account for the remarkable WELL
to-do air which seemed to pervade the
whole city. even the streets devoted to
tenement homes of the working people.
On Sunday morning we scattered about
to the different churches of our own de-
nomination. Our ears were not re-
galed by music from swelling organ and
trained choir. Pure psalmody rendered
by rather untutored voices of young
men and maidens. and the gospel in Sc
we're simplicity. constituted our morn
ing service.
Early the next day we bade a re-
gretful adieu to old Ireland which we
had been privileged to behold In the
length of its beauty and took boat for
the passage across the Irish Sea. or
the next two hours, perhaps, the less
said the better. Suffice 1t, that we
lived through 1t. and at length our feet
touched the soil Of Scotland and our
souls were grateful. An hours railway
ride brought us to the next point on our
course-Wigton. AS our train rolled
into the station our astonished eyes be-
held flags flying, banner waving "Wel-
come" and a concOurse Of about twelve
hundred people assembled to greet us.
| WigtOn Is off the route Of the general
| tourist. and we had only gone there to
| visit the graves of the two martyrs. the
| story of whose fate mad fingered among
| the memories of my childhood. In u
| strict Presbyterian home. where Fox's
Book of Martyrs and such like cheerful
food for the mind, was considered the
proper diversion for Sunday LATTER
moons. l had long ago read about Mar
| garet Mclaughlin and Margaret Will
son. who were tied to a stake in the
stream, and drowned as the tide rose
for refusing to obey the royal COM
mand and say, God Save King
| Charles!"
well. they had died for their faith
and we We're here to do them honor.
The schools of the town had been
| CiOScu lpI tuc udys tIlV lhhipitdNtS
were doing what they could to honor us.
We were escorted to very primitive
inn, THE Galloway Herd" and there
received by a delegation Of typical
Scotchmen, ministers and editors.
mostly whom had come many miles
that day to be with us. A most excel
lent dinner. though served upon impro-
vised tables of boards stretched around
the room followed. with witty toasts
and speeches. and then all adjourned to
the church-yard, where a short service
was held by the Presbyterian minister
of Wigton. beside the graves Of the
martyrs. He afterwards pointed out
to u.s. that the lettering upon their head
stones was cut much deeper than upon
those surrounding. 1t was his belief
that they had been re-cut by the man
whom Scott has made familiar to us as
"Old Mortality" We then saw the spot
where the ,martyrdom took place. A
flag is always there. although the bed
of the stream has changed since that
time, and the Flagstaff Is now planted
on dry land. We then took our train,
the good minister going with us a few
| miles. and showing us, as we passed It,
| well back from the road his own wig
covered "manse" of stone, a most pic
turesque dwelling. The good man had
lived there about twenty five years, de.
voted to his flock and they, evidently
| so, to him.
The next day of our Pilgrimage was
spent upon the Moors. the most of the
party visiting scenes Of the Cameronian
troubles Then Dumfries, with time
for a glimpse of the tomb of Burns and
the house in which he died; then Glas-
gov, and then we came to Edinburgh.
Many places of interest in that city
were seen by US within the next four
days. AS party, we were privileged
to enter some places, not usually open,
notably a room now In a back court.
where was held the first meeting of the
General Assembly in 1860, and the sec
ond meeting in 1873, also the table in
same room, where lay the murdered
Duke of Argyle before his burial; Grey
friar's Church. Grassmarket street.
Giles Cathedral, the heart Of Mid-Lo-
THAN in stone upon the spot where
once stood the "rolbooth," the cattle
and Holyrood Palace. of course, with
many other points were seen by us,
winding up at tlast by Afternoon tea" in
the old house Of John Knox. There
was one lovely afternoon spent in Stir
ling Castle and grounds. and nearly a
whole day at Abbotsford, and Dryburgh
Abbey. the home and last resting place
Of Walter Scott, and then we were In
Chester. After going to see'the Cathe-
dral, the queer shops on the old wall,
and drive out to i;aton Hall, one Of
the places of the Duke Of Westminster,
an idea which had dwelt in the minds
of some of US for days took shape, and
developed into a plan. and the plan in
to fact We would go to Stratford!
1t was not down on the Presbyterian
programme, but there were among us
some who had q warm place In our
hearts for the bard of Avon. and could
not pass so near the home of Shakes
peare without at least glimpse. So, q
party of twelve. we stole away towards
nightfall. took train for Birmingham
and another for Stratford, arriving at
the village at about eleven at night
We were taken to the Shakespeare Inn
so quaint, so redolent of old time asso-
Citations, and so delightful in every way
that we could scarcely afford to lose an
hour there In sleep. The ceilings were
low, the windows small. ard over every
door was in gold lettering the name OF
one of Shakespeare's plays. Ours was
"A Winters Tale" Bright and early