The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-07-25
What a lWiImingtonian Has to Say
About Edinburgh.
A MUCH DIGNIFIED MAN
Amusing Conversation Between Two
Lafjcs and a Native-MonumentS I'D
Nelson and IngoId Ste,yart-Unnn-
ishcd National Monument II Tender
Subiect-North Carolina the Best
Part of All the World.

LuilDuIS 81, Aco"
| Editors Messenger:
The longer | stay in Scotland the
better | like the country. A day or
two ago / went to Edinburgh, which
it's people proudly call the finest city
in the world and certainly it is
fine" very, very beautiful, and they
can hardly be blamed for their opin-
ion. since all Of them have not seen
Washington, and some of our other
American cities. l visited as many
historic places in the city as l pos
sibly could, but they are SO we'll de-
scribed in any ordinary guide book
that l need not attempt to describe
them here.
At Hollywood Palace | happened to
hear a most amusing, and most Sc
riously conducted conversation be-
tween a couple of ladies and one of
the,-well, l hardly know what to call
him, but his business evidently was to
be on hand, not as a guide, but to an
swer the many questions visitors al
ways ask. 1t occurred in a large hall
on the walls of which hang the por-
traits Of the Kings of Scotland, from
SO far back in the past that they had
to be painted by guess-work, down to
practically modern times.
On entering the hall, | saw a digni-
fled old gentleman sitting at a table
on which there were for sale all sorts
Of post card views of the palace, and
standing near were two ladies who, /
remembered. had registered at my
hotel 1.-The Old Waverly," as coming
from South Africa. When l walked
up, the dignif2d old gentleman,
whose dignified old head was topped
with a dignifed old silk hat in per-
feet keeping with the digniied old
self and his dignified old head, was
saying carefully, and with distinctly
marked pauses, and with a digniied
cadence in his voice: HE put his
arm around her-and the cO~nspiratOrs
rushed in, and RiZzio jumped behind
the Queen for protection. But, the
c~onspirators grabbed him and dragged
him, struggling man that he was, and
screaming all the while for help, out
near to the top of the stairs, just back
Of where I now sit, and where you
no doubt saw the brass tablet mark
ing the Identical spot on which he fell,
a bloody corpse, pierced by fifty-seven
dagger wounds!!
Here the old lady ''butted in' with:
but didn't you say "Darnley was
there? And if he was, why didn't he
help Rizzio, if Rizzio was the Queens
friend?"
The dignified old gentleman, in the
dignified old silk hat, answered in his
same dignified cadence: "Oh, it's be-
lieved that he wanted him killed."
To this she promptly said: '"Then,
why didn't he fight him in a duel like
a gentleman, and kill him himself in
an honorable manner with a shotgun,
Or a sword, or a pistol? I never heard
Of such a cowardly, dirty dog! Who
invited the conspirators to come into
the house any how, and who struck at
him first?"
Again, the dignified old gentleman in
the dignified old hat spoke with per-
feet compOsure, saying: LAS l have
told you, He put his arm around her,
and the cOnspirators rushed in, and
RizZio jumped behind the Queen,
etc."
The old lady again questioned him
as W hulllCy - uOL uClplHS lt1LLlO, duu
the patient old man, with unruff1ed
dignity, replied ut is believed that
he wanted him to die" Then she
askel if Rizzio was killed instantly.
Yes, he died very instantly, out
near to the top Of the stairs, just back
of where l now sit and where you no
doubt saw the brass tablet marking
the identical spot on which he fell a
bloody corpse, pierced by ffty-seven
dagger wounds, and six of which were
sufficient to produce instant DEATH"
But the old lady rallied with, "Well.
why did they keep ON stabbing him so
many more times than necessary, and
do you mean to say that Darnley
| didn't do anything at all to try to save
the life of the Queens friend? I think
he had the least principle of any man
| ever heard Oft was a bloody piece
of murder, and in the presence of a
lady at that" and she walked away
very much wrought up.
L could see that she vas loo direct
in voice and manne to be "guying'
the DID gentleman, but the no Incl
dent was fine fun for me, AID ne er-
tire conversation was lone I'D " both
the old lady and the old gentleman, in
such a delightful trosue tia, { regret
my inability to reproduce il in a LEI
ter.
then bought a Tost caro- from til:
old gentleman, and walked on to the
Chapel Royal in which Charles |. was
crowned, and where lie the remains d
David H., James H., James ", and nj:
queen, and Lord Darnley.
From the chapel I walked over tt
Cotton Hill from which l lad a mos
! glorious view of the city, and in which
are Nelson's monument. the monu
ment to Ingold Stewart and several
beautiful Grecian columns.
Soon a policeman came walking
along, and l. pointing TO the nearby
foundation of a stone building and the
six or more handsome columns asked
him what it all was. With a susri
cion of irritation and unmistakaoly
warmth he said THAT is Edinburgh.
disgrace!" "Why?" asked l. "Thos,