Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-03-18

ana Is not self asserting.
The day after our arrival being Sunday
We had fine opportunity to see the peo.
pie at their devotions. We sailed out half
an hour before the time for service. and
found crowds OF persons going to church,
we could not make our way on the side
walks, but bad to take the middle of the
streets. One could walk in the road wsy
very well, for there are no street cars OF,
sunday, no omnibuses, and very few ca be-.
mere are no newsboys with papers to
sell. They have put on their Sunday
clothes and are going to church. None OF
the great daily journals OF the United
Kingdom publish Sunday editions. There
are few railway trains on Sunday, and
the stations are deserted. The hands that
yesterday welded the coal shovel or held
the lever OF the throttle valve to-day
grasp bible aud hymn book, and they
will be steadier to morrow for having had
the day OF rest. The churches are filled
Strangers are politely received and shown
good seats. l counted in our pew that q rst
Sunday morning twelve bibles and elev n
hymn books.
The services are much the same as In
American Presbyterian churches, except
that there Is generally no organ. There
would be better singing II there
were. though in many cases 1t Is good
In st. Cuthbert's esbyterian church,
Edinburgh, they had as fine music by the
choir and congregation as we ever lis
tened to in any country. Another pecu-
liarity is the universal use OF the bible
by the people. When the minister an.
nounces the chapter to be read, every hu-
man being in church turns to the place
with a rustltng OF leaves like winds blow
ing through forest In autumn. The
sermons are not longer than in America.
The long discourses for which the Scotch
preachers used to be famous, have evil
IDENTIFY been much abbreviated. No one
will say that this Is not an improvement.
That night as we returned to our hot els,
we walked along Princes street looking
up at the castle, $50 feet above US. The
deep glen In the Gardens between us and
castle Hill was filed with darkness, while
clouds. But the castle was giittering
with hundreds OF lights from Its win
dows. This effect which has been mem
toned by travellers, Is very beautiful,
and the castle seems to be a city in the
sky. One must be In Edinburgh in win
ter to see 1t; for in summer the twilight
continues all night, and the illusion Is
not perfect. This all-night twilight seems
very strange to us dwellers in lower lati-
tudes. The sun sets late, rising very
early, meantime Swimming along few
degrees below the horizon in the
northern sky. There is light enough in
the Highlands to read without q candle
at 10 O'Clock p. M, and the night services
are usually held by daylight, in summer.
On Monday m orning we we're awakened
by women In the street shouting "Cailer
herrin"! "caller herrin". Weafterwards
learned that this means, "Fresh herring"
On looking out, we saw the celebrated
Edinburgh fish wives", with their huge
baskets OF fish suspended on heir backs
by bands passed over their foreheads.
They were so muscular that 1t was no
trouble to carry their loads, and their
voices had the merry ring Of honest con-
tentment.
In a northern suburb, 'Icalled "New
Haven't, these fisher folk dwell toget her.
1t is one OF the cleanest neig
about the city. They areI thrifty, indie
p ndent people, nearly all total abstainers
from strong drink and members OF
churches. They do no business on sun
day, but attend their neighbor hood
churches in crowds.
We saw the women all over Edinburgh
and Leith selling fish; but never man
We were told that the women do all the
work on land, even arranging the fishing
lines and batting the hooks; but the men
brave the dangers OF the North Sea to
catch the fish.
There are many stories told about their
courage and hardwood at sea; but, soon
as their feet touch land, they put their
hands in their pockets, and leave the
women to dispose OF the fish. The wo-
men do not object, and the work they do
has made them about the strongest
specimens OF their sex on earth. Such
muscle and such broad backs and hips
can, perhaps, be found nowhere else
among women. These women are noted
for their cleverness of tongue and for
their independence.
A brawpy Amazon of them was talking
with another of her class about third,
who was not strong. 1t was stated that
the delicate one was going to be married.
This announcement was greeted with
derisive contempt. "Hoot, hooti" said
the tough sister. NV hat would she be
doing, trying to keep man, when she
can hardly maintain hersel'?" These
"fish- wives" are always an element OF
picturesqueness in the streets OF Edin-
burgh in their peculiar costume, dark blue
stockings aud short dress OF the same
color, all fisnne', with light striped over
skirt, and white bodies and caps, with