The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-05-01


Work.
The following interesting lecture on
Sir Walter Scott was delivered before
the New Haven Caledonian Club by
Past Chief Robert D. Pryde.
1t was my privilege as well as pleas
ure to go through Walter SCOTS works
about fourteen years ago. But since
that time l have found the strenuous
life has been such that my time for
study along these lines has been limi-
ted.
Being impressed with the wonderful
character of the man and his ability as
a writer, led me to select this subject,
and find his works impress me more
now than when l first went through
them.
The first distinctive quality one sees
in going through his works Is that he
does what he believes to be right to
his best judgment, which he inherits
from his father, a lawyer (who was the
first of his people to branch away from
the country life), the secrea conscious
ness of duty well performed, and in
sisting that his clients should do their
duty to their own people more than
most of them were inclined to do
1.-THE child Is father of the man." and
this is none more true, or so much, as
of our Knight of Abbotsford. In his
boyhood we find clear proof of all his
noble qualities, enthusiasm, bold manly
feelings, honesty and invincible perse-
verance.
After becoming a man we find these
grand qualities matured and expanded
to such an extent that marks Scott as a
man and as writer, admired by all,
rarely equaled, and perhaps never sur
passed.
His mother being a well educated wo-
man, daughter of DR.. John Ruther-
ford, a professor in Edinburgh universe
ty, and connected with prominent an
Gent families, while his father was de-
scended from family on the border q
branch of the house of B. Buccleuchr
who were in the habit of making raids
across the border, and which Is well
demonstrated in the following tradi-
ton:
In what is called the good old times
say three hundred years ago-a faml-
" lived on the border between Scotland
and England, with one daughter OF a
mervelous LONELINESS. Her name was
Meg. She was a capital girl, as homely
girls generally are. She knew she had
no beauty, so she made sure of quality
and faculty. But the Scotch say that
while beauty may not make the best
kali, 1t looks best by the side of the
kail-pot." So Meg had no offer OF a
husband, and was likely to die in what
we call single hlessedness."
Everybody on the border in those
days used to steal, and their best
''holt," as we say, was cattle, If they
wanted sat and had no money they
would go out and steal as many cattle
as they could lay their hands on from
somebody on the other side Of the Dor
der. Well, they generally had no mon
ey. and they were always wanting beef
and they could always be hung for
stealing by the man they stole from II
he could catch them, and so they had
what an Irishman would call fine
time entirely, 0.
One day a young chief. wanting some
beef as usual, went out with part OF
his clan, came upon splendid herd or
the lands of Meg's father, and went tc
work to drive them across to his own
But the old fellow was on the' lookout
mustered his clan, bore down on the
marauders, beat them, took the young
chief prisoner and then went home tc
his peel very much delighted. Meg's
mother of course wanted to know al
about 1t, and then she said, Hoo, laird
what are you gaun to do with the prls'
oner?" II am gaun to hang him." the
old man thundered, Just as soon as
have had my dinner" But / think
we're no wise to do that" she said
"He has got a Draw place we ken across
the border, and he is Draw fellow
Now I'll tell We what l would do;
would give his his chance to be hung
or marry DOR Meg"
It struck the old man as good idea
and SO he went presently down into the
dungeon, told the young fellow to gel
ready to be hung in thirty minutes, but
then got round to the other alternative
and offered to spare his life If he woulc
marry Meg, and give him the oeef into
4 the bargain.
He had heard something about Meg
wonderful want of beauty, and 50, witt
fine Scotch prudence he said, wye vii
let me see her, laird, before I max VI
my mind" Aye, mon, that's fair" thu
old chief answered, and went In to bic
the mother get Meg. ready fon~the In
Aeryiew. The mother did her best, vol
may be sure, to make Meg look win
some, but when the poor fellow saw hi
unintentional intended he turned rounC
to the chief and said Laird, If We has
nae objections would rather be hung,
"And sac We shall, me lad, and vel
come" the old chief replied In rage.
So they led him out, got the rop'
round his neck then the young mar
changed his mind and shouted, Laird
I'll TAX her" So he was marched bacl
into the castle, married before he hat
a chance to change his mind, If tina
was possible, and the tradition is tina
there never was happier pair In Scot
land and never better wife in th'
world than Meg
Meg's main feature was a very large
mouth. and now in direct line in almos
every generation the neigfbors ant
friends are delighted, as they say, tt
get Meg back. Here's Meg again,
they cry when a child is born with tina
wonderful mouth. Sir Walter Scot