La Junta tribune., 1908-11-28

book since. l read IL In my loyhood
1t disappeared somewhere. have
often thought OF 1t. When was
in GLASGOW. day before yesterday.
stepped into a book store and inquir-
ed of little girl, who met me to
walt upon me. II she knew of this lit
tie book. Greatly to my surprise.
she stepped to a shelf not more than
four feet away. took down the beauti-
full bound little volume and handed
it to me. purchased II. | have
not had time to open it. 1 related
this little incident to gentleman
and his wife. good Scotch people. the
same evening. at the supper table.
at my hotel. The gentleman imme-
diately replied, You will be disap-
pointed" 1t may be so.
The city of Aberdeen is a most
beautiful and imposing city. II is not
better laid out than many another
city Its site is not more pictur-
esQue. II does not have so great
buildings What makes it beautiful
and charming to the eye OF the trav
eler is its chaste and classical.
though simple architecture and the
beautiful gray granite of which the
city is built. Aberdeen is gran
lite city. Its houses, great and
small, temples and churches. novels
and cottages. are all built OF a part
ly gray granite. There is occasion
ally q building ornamented with trim
mings of red granite. but there Is
no material, unless II should be mar
BILE. that gives so chastc and SO clas-
steal spirit to city as granite.
air, character OF strength and a
sense of eternal decoration. in these
gray granite edifices. ornamented
with smooth chiss.ed and pitted
blocks. polished columns. artistically
carved capitals OF corinthian. touic
and doric architecture. simple corn
ice, freize. pediment and plaster. TIL
architecture IL not elaborate. There
are NO statuary. no. reliefs. no chisel-
ed vines, leaves or fruit. but a plain,
simple and magical beauty. There
are many handsome public edifices,
an art gallery. theatre. q techni-
cal school. churches that vie In their
grace and beauty with the cathe-
drais of the middle ages. and school
buildings that are palaces-schooi
buildings Of which Aberdeen may be
proud and which place the granite
city of Scotland foremost among the
cities OF the wor d. in the palaces
dedicated to the education Of the
common people. America boasts.
and well she may. Of the tribute she
pays to education, of the monuments
she has erected to intelligence. learn
ing and refinement, the taxes she
pays and the wealth she pours out
to educate the rich and the poor
alike, but as proudly as I have
gloried In the presence OF our foreign
friends, and SO often. am compell-
ed to admit, We must lift the hat to
bonnie Scotland. have seen no
greater magnificence In the temp .es
erected and dedicated to the public
school, no more beauty In interior
decoration. and no more perfect and
complete system and arrangement for
the pursuit of every department OF the
most advanced educational ideals and
no better equipment, than In the
schools OF Scotland. Aberdeen is
also a center OF The higher educa-
tion, being the seat Of splendid
university. A magnificent granite
building has recently been erected.
at very great expense. The col
lege building is known as Marischall
college. This building IL very elab-
crate in It's design. The people are
proud of this edifice. But confess
was not pleased with the architec-
ture. To my mind. 1t would be much
more imposing and a much more
beautiful edifice. had the architecture
been simpler, less Of ornament, pin
acles and towers and had been built
on lines OF the simple, classical spirit,
which well becomes its granite walls.
There are several monuments and
statues in honor of Scotland's great
men. A statue of Charles George
Gordon stands in front of Gordon Col
lege, at the base Of which reads
the following inscription. by mem
bers OF the Gordon Clan. have
done my best for the honor OF my
country"
There is a giant statue Of William
Wallace, a man who gave his life
for Scotland's liberty. Wallace is
honored everywhere in Scotland. On
one side OF the granite base OF this