The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-12-12

foreign arms of all kinds and many his
toric "weepons," as our guide called
them, were shown us. The next room
was very small, but the walls we're CON-
pletely lined with pictures. The CON-
panion portraits, one Of Thomas Purdie,
the forester, and the other of the chief
gamekeeper of Scott's time, were par
ticularly fine. There was, also, series
of pictures from the story of Muckle-
mouthed Meg, which our guardian las
sic told so prettily with her quaint &C
cent. After satisfying our curiosity
concerning some of the pictures and rel
les we passed along a narrow passage to
the entrance hall. This apartment is
best described in book l discovered
later at our hotel, and from which 1
quote as follows:'
''The house is a quaint growth of
Imagination. Here is a gateway from
Linlithgow, there a portal and door
from the famous Talbooth of Edin-
burgh, presented to Sir Walter by the
Magistrates of Edinburgh when Tai
booth was demolished in 1917, roof
from Roslyn, oak carvings from Dunn
fermlene, and so on. In the entrance
hall are the shields of the border fami-
lies, the SCOTS, Kers, Elliotts, Doug
lases and others. The floor is a mosaic
of black and white marble from the
Hebredes, the walls panelled with rich
ly carved oak from Dumfermlene alb
hey, and the roof is arched, exhibiting
in the compartments between the
arches the armoreal escutcheons of
the highland families. The stained
of-arms of the Scott family. At the
inches fashioned in plaster of Paris,
from those splendid sculptured inches
which formerly held the Saints and
Apostles of the Abbey of Melrose.
The inches are each of them occupied
by what is rarely seen in Scotland, viz,
a complete suit of feudal steel armor.
In the hands of the figure to the left is
placed a sword over six feet in length
and welded by both hands. The suit of
armor is six feet in length, the sword
six feet seven inches in length, the
blade three inches broad, the grip
twenty inches; the helmet measures
thirty-one inches around at the widest
part. The companion suit of armor is
said to have been designed fora French
knight, who must have been a man
considerably under the middle size. In
a glass case at the door of departure
are the clothes worn by Sir Walter in
his last days. The study is a room
about eighteen feet square, and con-
tains his writing table and desk, his
arm chair and a few portraits. The
library has a carved oak roof, (the de-
sign copied from decorations of Holy
rood Palace, Roslyn Chapel and Mel
rose,) Chautrey's bust of Sir Walter,
portrait of Sir WIS eldest son, an
ebony writing desk, presented by George
I'LL, two beautifully carved elbow
chairs, presented by the Pope, and many
relics of historical personages. The
drawing room, cased in cedar, contains
the ebony chair given by George W.,
and some richly carved cabinets, the
portraits of Scott by Raeburn, Ho
garth's portrait of himself, number
of other pictures, also a collection of
Water-color drawings by Turner, de-
signed for SCOTS Provincial Anti
quities.'' The armory, which contains
the treasures of Abbotsford, is long,
narrow room, running from north to
south. Here are to be seen Montrose's
uine Andrea Ferrara blade with bask-
ct hilt,) Napoleon the First's pistols,
Bonny Prince Charles brace of knives
and dirks, and his quaigh or drinking
cup "a wooden vessel with a glass bot
tom that he who quaffed might keep
his eye the while upon the dirk hand of
his companionO and numerous other
ancient weapons"
On our return drive we passed an
enormous building which we learned
was hydropathic establishment. Driv-
ing through the quaintest imaginable
village streets we alighted at an odd
looking little inn, at the very gates of
Melrose Abbey, and appropriately call
ell the abbey Hotel. Here we were
received very pleasantly by white-hair-
ed and white-capped landlady, and were
soon on the way to our rooms. AS we
passed along the hall we noticed that
on the two upper corners of every door
frame there was square white medal
! lion of the bust of Sir Walter Scott,
an idea quaint and in perfect keeping
| with the whole interior of the house.
| After few minutes in our rooms, we
were glad to take leave of our big four
posters and imposing bell cords in
answer to a summons to luncheon. On
our way to the dining room we passed
through perfect museum Of curios-
skins, Indian weapons, stuffed birds
and animals, butterflies and beetles in
glass cases; and even tiny glass case
containing piece of Prince Charles
cloak was in evidence. Not much time
however, was devoted to examining
these treasures just then, for the drive
had sharpened our appetites and we sal
down to do complete justice to gu
luncheon. NJ. D. P.