The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-22
TnAITS0F The SCOTCH
DIR. Watson, Ian MacLareD, =
in Dialect Readings.
PRESIDENT IN AUDIENCE
Reference to the Scotchman S
Firm Religious Belief.
Ano ssls D.suss Q AoJso FWEs

Columbia Theatsr and the Church OF
Our Father 10 Hear the Celebrated
author of "Resioa the Bonnie eriar
Bush"
After luncheon With President and
Mrs. Cleveland at the White House yes
fereiay afternoon. Rev. DIR. Watson, Ian
MacLaren,n and Mrs Watson went to the
Columbia theatre They were accompa-
MED by Rev. DIR. Mackey- Smith, whose
guest DIR. Watson is. The celebrated au-
thor of Beside the Bonnie Briar Bush. !"
found warm welcome. The theatre was
we'll filled by admirers of the Scotch di-
vine, and when introduced by DR.. Mae
key-Smith, a round of applause was given
that made the writer feel at once among
friends
Ian MacLaren" is handsome man
ON the stage. His tall, straight, and
symmetrical figure is commanding in ap-
pearance, and the expression of the face
is ever changing With the mood and con-
diti0ns he deals with. Ii was a natural
variation Of expression, and not the ster-
eotyped effort of the average footlight
favorite. His voice was in good condi
IlOD, anu Ills FeHAltfOu Oh StOtllSH dfIlptt
was a revelation to many.
The theme selected by DR.. Watson was
Certain Traits of Scottish Character,
and he read from some Of his own books
His subject opened mp a wide field for a
man Of his Versatility and thorough
knowledge of it, and enabled him to dwell
at length upon the different phases in the
life Of the average Scotchman, as well
as upon the characteristics of the people
that have become national and not found
to the same extent in any other country.
THE SCOT FIRM IN RELIGION.
DIR. Watson referred feelingly to the
firmly fixed religious beliefs of his coun-
tIymen, described the simplicity OF their
social life, and in very amusing manner
told how in trade the Scotchmen had
earned the title of "The Canny Scot"
OF Scotch dour. which English people
call "obstinacy," Dr. Watson said the in
depreciation was wrong, because dour was
much stronger and broader than obstin-
acy. lie declared that one characteristic
of the Scotch people was that they would
never admit anything, and another was
their total lack OF the use of adjectiyes.
In very amusing manner the lecturer
said the reason why adjectives were never
used by them was because there were so
many and the Scotchman would have to
go over the entire list before persuaded
which one TO use, and this required too
much time.
There was much sentiment in the
Scotch nation, DR.. Watson declared, but
no sentimentality, and he never wanted
TO be in Scotland when two-men meeting
kissed each other, as Italians do. To
prove that sentiment is great in Scotland
he said one only had to read its ballads
and its poets.
In conclusion, DR.. Watson read the de-
scription of the sick wife Of the pillow.
man, and how DIR. Maclure brought to the
bedside celebrated surgeon who per
formed an operation and saved the wo-
anan's life. The reading was delightful,
fun Of pathos, happily ameliorated with
a quaint humor which was greatly en-
joyed by the audience.
CLEVELAND IN THE AUDIENCE.
Ian MacLaren" was greeted by large
audience in the evening at the Church
of Our Father. President and Mrs. Cleve-
sand were among his listeners, and
great many citizens of Scottish decent
were also present. Rev. DIR. Wallace A.
Radcliffe introduced the lecturer in pleas
ing terms. DR.. Watsons audience was
evidently prepared to enjoy an evening in
Dromtochty," with its quainty humor-
Gus or tenderly pathetic characters, and
when the lecturer would pick up one OF
his own works after discoursng in an
easy, conversational tone about crea-
ton of a parsonage in it, the audience
listened in perfect silence to his reading.
ITO have scholar in the family the
lecturer said, lis one of the great am.
billions of the people who live in Drom-
tochty." TO prepare son for such, after
he had been duly declared by the minister
and other authorities as having ii him
the making of one, no sacrifice was too
great. or labor hard, or planning too
arduous. 1t was worth all it cost to be
able to say once in three generations at
least that there was a scholar in the
family.
Jamie Suffers character was dissected
by the lecturer, and if there was any one
in the audience who did not care for
Scotch dialect coming from the lecturer $
lips and invested with life as it were, it
must have taken on for him new inter
eest. But the most interesting part of the
evenings entertainment was the speak
er's remarks about DR.. MacClure, per
sonage Of much popularity, on account of
his good deeds, among the readers Of the
lecturers books.
PLENTY OF DR. MACCLURES.
Was there ever any DIR. William Mac.
CluresW asked the lecturer. The exact
person, in features, in dress, in the par
ticular things he did and said did not
exist, he said, and he hoped he was not
disappointing any one who might have
been entertained by the character" If a
man,' he continued, lifts out of life a
character bodily, physically, and mental
ly, and puts him in n novel, people feel
no interest in him. | had four models for
DR. MacClure, and every one of them
yould have scorned the idea that ] had
used him as a model Yet he seems to
exist all over the world, from New Yen
land to your western districts according
TO the letters / receive nearly every day.
If Or. MacClure does not appear from "A
different section by Thursday Of each