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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (July 1, 1887)
530 THE WEST SHORE Bbady side of Scottish life than we ever boundary of England and Scotland, and wish to see again, on arriving at Coat- Berwick assumed the important position bridge, and while searching for lodgings, of a border town, and, perhaps, is the through its narrow closes and dark pas- spot on which more blood has been shed sages, in every respectable and nonre- than any other on the whole island. It specUble portion of the city. Owing to has the air of antiquity and melancholy, the New Year, every hotel, inn or lodg- that accords well with what has passed ing house was fall and running over, and in and around ii Its castle, too, in a we were forced, at last, weary and foot- rude form, on the bold heights where is sore, to be glad of a roof to cover us, now the North British railway station, with rooms secured in contiguous tene- stood, for many centuries, a tower of ment houses in a cooperative building, strength and a hotly contested strong with a herring bone flight of stone steps, hold between the two rival nations, En My tenement consisted of a but and ben gland and Scotland. The old masses of (bane), and tho only access to my room the castle that remain, show by their was through mine host's, where mother, solid masonry, their former stupendous father, two children and "a puir wee strength, the archway under the tower, mon " of eight days, lived, slept, cooked by the river, being fifteen yards through, and ate, but with a scrupulous regard to An inner circle of more modern walls cleanliness, nevertheless. The keeping than the ancient ones, which encircled room, the only other one, was given up the whole town, are yet perfect with to me, where, with carpet and gas and a their moats, fortifications anddrawbridg good illustrated history of Scotland, I es, covered with ramparts of earth and was very comfortable, although with a green turf, and called "Queen Eliza chair for wash-stand, and a sort of soup beth's walls." In 1547, a marriage be tween for boain or bath, as the English tween Mary Queen of Scots and Edward call lathing tub. From the sensible VI, of England, had been spoken of, and head of tho house, I gathered much in- serious disturbances occurred on the formation on Scottish ways and means, borders in Elizabeth's time, encouraged and his "gudo anldmither," who visited by her, because Queen Mary had thwart me occasionally, seemed to consider that ed her on her marriage with Darnley. her brood Scotch would reach my com- Mary came in sight of Berwick in 15GG, prehension through the sense of hearing to view the ancient town, so full of in if she only raised her voice high enough, terest for so many reigns; and twenty and enforced it by sundry strong, but years later, Sir Richard Carey arrived amicable, paU of the shoulder. in Berwick with the melancholy com- mission to proceed to Edinboro' to ap Hl'riZ; P-amo, of Li, mother', beheading, (W in jour war array, by 0rde.r of Elizabeth, but was advised (Jrntlri and commons. no "sk his life with such a message. Come tvcry hiii-pltM, an.l When the North British railway pur- ll that Zlt 8t00d' f consideriMe portion of the keep it.rwiv , was yet standing. The whole was then EfiS.tikS t,h U0n0,tie round and the aTlEffi c" m other octagonal-and aome of if nib. buo-Duid, era, the Tweed lecan, the As we passed under the fire Tery com.