Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
ELLEN ADATR MEETS
ABOARD SHIP ONE OF
NATURES COURTIERS
Lonely Scotchman From the
Island of Tslay Con6des in
English Girl Tale of His
Home.
VII

VII
The rise and dreadful fall of the At
lantic Ocean! Why, I think that COM
pared with It the rise and fall of the
Roman Empire itself must have been the
merest trine. One sits upon the deck and
sees the strange gymnastics Of the sea.
For up. up. UP the ocean surges till. one
thinks the boat must swamp. Then
down, down. down the racing waters fly,
while long and shuddering vibrations
shake the ship from stem to stern.
certain very human analogy might easily
be drawn just here, but there are times
when, even for the embellishinE of tale,
a parallel had best be left alone. Let
it suffice to say that mal-de-mer mas
never troubled me. My Cabinmates were
all laid low, melancholy band. Be-
tween the paroxysms l. know they pray
ed that we might hit the bottom
For after leaving Queenstown on the
second day, when evening came we met
the great Atlantic rollers we pitchea
and rolled but oh, | loved the white
foam and the binding spray! The
steerage deck that was so gay was now
like a deserted battlefield. With lowered
nag and pale green look, the Would-oe
conquerors of the sea had fled below l
sat alone and meditated on the van
Quished heroes.
lowering sky goomed on that
threatening sea. The forward tirst-class
deck was quite deserted, too behind me
and above on the second-class, rev
adventurous souls. were cautiously pac-
ing the rolling deck. But IN the steer
age | was all alone
Above the loud vibrations of the screw
I heard a sudden melody, clear and dis
tinct. The voice was nearby; the voice
was a mans, deep rich baritone, and
the air was strangely familiar. Where
had | heard that wild strange air be-
fore? l listened intently.
"Locha ber no. more; o. Lochaber no more;
1 shall maybe return to Locha6er no more
The liduid notes were full of Nearn- 1
ing sadness Where. oh. where. had ]
once heard that lovely melody?
A SOLDIERS FUNERAL.
The present scene now slowly faded
and in its place 1 saw the great Trafalgar
square of London as It looked one sum-
mer afternoon long years ago. long
sad procession of soldiers slowly followed
a single gun-Carriage bearing something
draped over with one great flag, the
Union Jack-and on that flag there rested
a solitary sword and helmet. Tho sun
shone on that long line of killed Scottish
soldiers and glanced on every cleaning
helmet 1t was that great regiment of
the race, the Gordon Hignlanders, the
bravest and the finest fighting men that
Britain ever owned. With their mag
nificent physique, each man a giant and
hero. they slowly swung along as If it
were the heather OF their native hills and
glens they trod, and not the grimy as
phalt of the London streets.
Two pipers in the Gordon kilt and tar
tan headed that sad procession, and from
their pipes a real old Highland Lament
rang through Trafalgar Square. For
Highland officer and gentleman was
being borne on that quiet Eun-carriage to
his last long resting place,
Farewell to Lochaber. I.ochaber no more.
shall maybe return tO Lochab ber no more
The rderleSs charger who was slowly
led beside that quiet =un-carriage n"iGhed
in an eerie heart-broken fashion. | know
he understood his empty saddle, and
mourned his master with a mourning
regiment. Dear Gordon Highanders. \
soldiers funeral is the saidest sight.
The singer on the steeraGe deck now
came in view. tall broad-shouldered
youth His clothes We're Of the toughest
homespun, patched and darned. He had
the shabbiest. yet the grandest air-for he
was one of Natures gentlemen. 4 cour-
tier might We'll have euvied the gallant
way he bowed and doffed his threadbare
cap. as if were a princess. he prince.
knew al once he was a Highlander
Madame, said he. and l knew that
words did not come easily to MIN In the
English, we are communicates. and one
of us is ferry homesick-it will be honor
ing me to talk with You. Tis better
used | am To speak the Gaelic"
II have enjoyed your song" I said
"And do you come from the Lochabor
district
He shook his head. Il am an Islav
man." said he, and going out beyond
the seas to make fortune But Islay
will be calling all the time"
The Island Of Islay. l said does it
not lie out in the Hebrides Of Scotland?"
He nodded slowly and his face, young.
wonderfully handsome, lit up with new
glow and remembrance II was the
face Of dreamer, seer, and on it was
the clear prophetic gaze peculiar to the
sea-girt Highlanders of Scotland They
live so close 10 Nature that they have
second sight and Nature is their
only medium
lis lonely was feeling in this place"
said he "and 80 I sang my saddest song
all the time | Will he thinking that twas