Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-07-05


are yarded In some sheltered place, and
by lying down closely together can man
age to keep warm, presumably, for they
certainly look thrifty and well cared for
But here we are! In fsr-famed Edin
boro', the illustrious seat OF Scotland'I
literary. religious, and classic fame, ant
the most beautiful city In the world! II
is built upon several emin ,nces and from
its resemblance to the ancient capital oi
Greece, has been styled The MOderr
Athens. But-let me whisper In YOU
ear-or perhaps you have already guess
ed the one thing above all others tha,
mskes this city just now the most beau
tiful city In the world. IL is because, ir
its possession will he found letters from
home! So you msy be sure the first OBJ
ject sought Is the post Office, and hert
they are! From home, from Psris, Maine
from Paris, France, from the klnt
friends Ia Ireland whose hospitality dur
ing the sojourn there has followed u,
scross the narrow sea and sends another
message To "COme Back TO Erin, Ma
vourneep, Mavourneen !'-and from the
dear old lady In Wales, met on thu
steamer coming across, who kept the
captain Of the little tender at Queens
town waiting fully ten minutes ~ith lin'
over the taffrail, for his only first-clas'
passenger, 30 she could hunt up heI
birthday book for the departing psssen'
ger to write In!
The train enters Edinboro' through q
deep, steep valley. On one side Is ths
gigantic ledge on which Is built the cas-
tie, so high up that 1t cannot be seen
from the train. Much historical inter
est Is attached to the old fortress which
has been the scene OF various daring ex.
ploits. One OF these had for its object
the recovery Of the castle from the Eng
lish in 1918. by midnight attack CON-
msnded by Randolph, Earl Of Norway,
and only 30 men. The darkness OF the
night, the steepness Of the precipice, the
danger Of discovery and the slender sup
port which they had to trust to In as
cendlng from crag to crag, rendered the
enterprise such as might have appalled,
the brsvest spirit, but they "got there
Just the same" and overpowered the
whole garrison aud came of victorious.
On the other side Is the towering city,
and to reach II you must climb almost
as many stairs as to reach the top of
Bunker Hill monument, 30 by the time
the top Is reached the poetry Is well
nigh taken out of you, as we'll A. the
breath, but It Ia worth the effort, for
looking towards the West the sun is set
ting In glory over the top Of the castle,
and 10 the foreground the spire Of the
towering monument to Sir Walter Scott,
reaching to the skies, the first thing one
sees on entering Edinburgh. IL Is taller
than the tallest building or church spire.
The city Is rich In galleries, museums,
institutes, cathedrsls and massive public
buildings, but with one or two exceptions
we have no use for any more Of those
things, though the Donaldson hospital
claims reverent attention. noble build
ing whose founder gave his entire
fortune. OIL, ,0O0. 900, to build Il, for the
care and maintenance Of poor, and deaf
and dumb children-truly . monument
that reaches nearer heaven than all the
millionaire endowments 70 colleges al.
ready rich, could reach to the end OF
time. II Il presumed that the founder
belonged to the good old Presbyterian
church, but whether he ever went inside
OF q church or NOT, that msn's soul 10
ma-ching on.
1t would take volumes 10 tell OF all
the interesting things 10 Edinburgh, so
only few will be mentioned. Near by
is the house where Sir Walter Scott lived
twenty-six years, and we must walk NJ
those steps, 80 often trod by Scotland's
Magical Minstrel.
L. S.n.ro oSauda old 81
Giles church, the most famous 10 Edin-
boro.' II was here John Knox preached,
and swept of the accumulated moss OF
legend, traditions and ceremonies which
had enslaved the minds OF his country
men for centuries. He IL buried In the
old churchysrd, his grave marked by q
simple stone inscribed ~. X. 1875" A.
one corner Of the kirkyard formerly
stood the Old Tolbooth, or prison, COM
monty called The Heart Of Midlothian.
The site IL marked by the figure Of =
heart 10 the pavement. Then here is
John Knox's house, kept sacred from all
profane associations, also the house OF
David Hume.
We will now cross over and climb the
hill to the castle, but having been
through so many dungeon cells, We will
only visit the Crown Room, containing
the ancient regalis, which has . most in
tense history, dating from the "Days
when guide King Robert rang"
Down the street called Cxnnongate we
come TO Ramsey Lodge, where the poet
Allan Ramsey who wrote "The Gentle
Shepherd" died In 1883. just one year
before the birth OF his illustriOus sue
cessor, Robert Burns.
Near by was the old Grassmsrket
which used to be the place Of public exc
cution. "The Brave Montr0se" was be
headed here. The day before, he Was
observed carefully combing his long,
luxuriant hair. Being demonstrated
with for spending his time In such 3
frivolous pursuit instead OF attending 10
the sffairs Of his soul, he said: To-day
my head is mine. Tomorrow 1t will be
yours. Do then with 1t as you WILL
And now we 20 down the hills towards
Holyrood Palace, the venerable seat Of
Scottish royalty. On the way we pass
Csnnongate churchyard, where are In
TERED Adam Smith, who wrote The
Wealth of Nations, Dugsld Stuart, and
Ferguson the poet. This young man
actually starved to death from poverty
In garret in Edinburgh, at the age OF
only %. Burns could never forgive that
In his cOuntrymen, and with the first
money he got from the sale Of his poems,
he erected this monument over his grave
here, and wrote this inscription:
No sculptured marble here, nor pompous lay,
No storied urn nor animated bust;
la "a, Al MI m In
To pour her sorrows DER her Poets dust.
She mourns. sweet. tuneful youth, thy hapless
fAte;
Tho ali the powers Of song thy fancy fired.
Yet Luxury and Wealth lay by In state
And thankless starved what they 80 much al.
mired.
This humble tribute with tear he Gives.
A brother Bard, he can no moro best0w;
But dear 20 fame thy Song immortal lives,
A nobler monument than Art can show.
In copy OF that authors works Burns
wrote these lines under the portrait:
Curse on, ungraseful man, that can be pleased
And yet can stsrve the author Of the pleasure!
In old Grayfrisrs churchyard Il .
monument to the martyrs who were ex-
ecuted for their religious opinions, and
whose lonely graves are scattered DER
the wild GAllos say mOors we have just
been traversing, and ,hi. Is the shrine be-
fore which We do reverence.
And nov We reach famed Holyr0od,
but time forbife longer tsrry, so we
pay a haety visit to Q1een Msry's apart
ments-.he bedroom with its lofty walls
and massiv,ly elegant antique furniture
the tall bed with It's sumptuous csno-
py Of prce!ess tape.try just - she lef,
it-and cross the broad Forth. where we
trxvrr-e the great bridge, 5000 feet long