La Junta tribune., 1908-11-21

attract men, but the love and admira.
tion q mon. 1lmost worship. for the
great poet and novelist will lead men
and women. a. long as Sir Walter
Scott's name u honored. to pay their
trilute Of respect to this sacred
spct.
Abbottsford. the forner home OF
Scott, is but four miles from Melrose,
walked to this beautiful mansion.
now In possession of a grand
daughter of the poet. 1t is beau
tiful stone house, In a park with
green pgrass, trees, shrubbery and
flowers, and situated on the banks
of the Tweed. river dearly loved
by him and towards which he turned
his eyes. for the last time. while on
his dying couch. lr this house are
many interesting souvenirs and rel
relics collected by Scott himself, as
well AZ relics connected with his
own life, many relics collected by the
poets family and friends. passed
through his litrary. sat in the
big, easy leather upholstered chair.
In which the poet sat while writing
his poems and tales, passed through
his reception room. his sitting room
and the various halls. Here is the
cross held by Mary. Queen OF Scots.
at her execution and blotter used
by Napoleon. as wei! as many little
things that had touched the lives OF
great men and women.
Scott has dealt capdidly with the
history OF his ancestors. On the
wall Of the sitting room hang two
pictures executed by distinguished
artist. at Sir Walterg request and
to elucidate an incident In the history
of his ealy kinsman. The tale
runs thus:
Upon a time, one OF Scott's an.
cestors, bright, ailstrocratic and
cavalier young man, was arrested an
convicted Of sheep stealing, a capital
offense. In those days. The sheriff,
who, in Scotland, Is The court in the
county and has Jurisdiction in Grim
inal cases, was moved to pity the no
BILE looking, high bred young man. or
was moved by some other motive. of
which you may judge later. when the
tale is told, withheld passing sen
tence, according to the extreme pen
atty OF the law and presented young
Scott with an alternative. The sher
ifs name was Murray. He had
daughter who was called Muckle Mu-
thed Meg. which means big uncoutht !
Meg. The sheriff summoned Scott
before him and, after discoursing t.
him upon the grave enormity OF his
crime and the moral degradation In
to which he had fallen and the aw
full punishment which the law melted
to such offenses, he gave young
Scott the choice of marrying Muckle
Muthed Meg. or hanging. The fair
maiden was brought before Scott and
introduced to him. He turned away
in high minded indignation and We
hemently declared that he would han
first II can not afford to ransom
my life" said he, with such sac
rifice. choose to hang. your hon
or" Scott was remanded to prison.
After four or five days. he was again
brought before the court. The de-
cision of the court was presented to
the convict again. Either the soli-
tary confinement had softened the
heart of the high minded young
Scotchman, or that passion that
comes not always At sight, but often
upon study and reflection. may haze
conquered and gently and sweetly
soothed the heart OF the aristo-
cratic blood-anyhow, he married
Muckle Muthed Meg. Sir Walter wa
SO proud of this pair of his ancestors
that he has made them more famous
than any of his less conspicuous
and. possibly more law abiding prog
mitors. He not only enshrined them
with his magioc pen, but he had
the two pictures made. The one
fine looking, knightly uniformed
referring to this incident represents
a fine looking. knightly uniformed
young man standing. and opposite hil
with eyes beaming with love and de-
light, her face wreathed in smiles
and her muth muckle enough, the fan
Miss Murray, Muckle Muthed Meg.
The other picture illustrates another
characteristic of Sir Waters an
cestry The family are seated at
table preparatory to taking their mid
day meal. The father, monkish
faced man, with his hands still clasp
ed after invoking the divine bless
ing, has opened his eyes. The ser
want has Just lifted the cover from