The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-08-13

the grave of Tom Purdy, name ia
miliar to the readers of Lockhart' s
Life of Scott"
Early one morning we drove over to
Dryburgh Abbey, a ruin not so pictur-
esque as that of Melrose but more ex-
tensive, as traces remain of the clois-
ters, refectory and domestic buildings.
We were shown a dungeon where re-
fractory monks are said to have been
compelled to remain for hours in a po-
sition half kneeling, half standing, like
iy to bring the most stubborn to terms,
though there were other instruments
for more sinister use.
In a rooted portion of the north trans
ept are the graves of Sir Walter Scott,
his wife and their son-in-law, John
Gibson Lockhart. 1t was SCOTS wish
to be laid here in the burial vault of
his ancestors. The poet Cover was
once a monk at Dryburgh and Chaucer
used to be a frequent visitor. Near the
entrance stands an aged yew tree
which is said to be older than the alb
hey itself.
After returning to Meirose for the
night, we rode next day to Abbotsford.
Here we were taken at once into the
great iONSiISl = SluIN 1t Sttllit1u Int
shrine. Here he composed some of
the Waverley series. The desk and
armchair, made familiar by the widely
published photos. remain as he left
them. Adjoining is tiny room in a
tower called by Sir Walter his Speak
/ a-bit," the carved panelling of which
was taken from a large bedstead used
by Mary Queen of Scots. The whole
I :
delight the antiquarian. One passes
next into the great library whose bay
window faces the Tweed Aside from
the 10000 volumes this room is full of
works of art and of rare beauty of
which there is not space to mention,
| least of all to describe. In the usual
photograph which everybody has seen,
appears the large portrait of Sir Wal
ter's son, the second Sir Walter, in the
uniform of his regiment, the Fifteenth
Hussars. AT the right stands Il carved
ebony writing table of exquisite work
manship, the gift of George ", who
knighted the novelist and remained his
lifelong friend In the drawing room
are family portraits, among which
hangs the celebrated painting by Sir
Henry Raeburn of Scott himself. There
are other paintings, the most interest
ing being a gruesome portrait of the
head of Mary Queen of Scots made by
Amyas Cawood the day after her exc
cution. 1t is recorded that leave was
granted for the picture. In the next
! hall designated the armory, the walls
are covered with ancient weapons and
suits of armor, legend, no doubt, con-
nected with every piece. Among other
curiosities is small iron jewel box
/ once the property of Mary of Guise,
second wife of James V and the moth
er of Mary Stuart. BY the side of it is
the pearl cross used by the latter while
/ the axe was suspended over her de-
voted head In another part of the
room are two pen-and-ink sketches by
Sharpe worthy of mention, the one
showing Queen Eliza beth dancing, when
! an old woman, in her private chambers;
I the other representing Scott of Harden
an ancestor of Sir Walter being led a
prisoner into the presence of the Laird
of Elibank. The young man was con-
! demned to be hanged for stealing cat
| tie, but Lady Elibank having thus far
failed to obtain a husband for her ill
favored daughter, called ''Muckle-
mouthed Meg" thought this an oppor-
! tunity not to be missed. She prevailed
upon her husband to spare young Scott
provided he would marry Meg The
youthful soldier is brought before the
daughter, who smiles upon him, max
ing her mouth larger than ever an6
he asks to be led at once to execution
But before the next morning he repent
cd and the wedding was at once con
lsummated. Sir Walter states that Mes
made a good wife and was the mother
of large family. Both sketches are
quite grotesque and Sir Walter used tt
tage great delight in showing them t
his friends. The story will be found ii
SCOTS own words in Lockhart's Life
Among other curiosities is a necklac.