All the Days of My Life: An Autobiography Part 11

"It is a Providence, Milly! I had a letter not a month ago from my old friend John Humphreys, who is now Collector of Excise for the port of Glasgow. Either he, or Mrs. Humphreys, will look for proper rooms for you. They will know just what you want."

The letter to the Humphreys asking this favor was written at once, and in four days we received something like the following answer to it:

DEAR WILLIAM,

We have rented your daughter a parlor and bedroom with the sister of my grocer. His shop is in Sauchiehall Street, and they live above it. They are most respectable people, and have no other boarders. It is also near the school. She will be very comfortable there. Let us know exactly when she is coming, and either Mrs.

Humphreys or I will meet her train, and see her safely housed.

Your true friend,

JOHN HUMPHREYS.

Then it was decided I should go to Glasgow on the third of January, 1849, by the ten o'clock morning train, which would allow me to reach my destination before it was dark. Until that day I rested myself body and soul in the sweetest influences of love and home, and when the third of January came, I was full of new strength and new hope, and ready for whatever had been appointed to happen unto me.

My dear mother went with me as far as Penrith. She intended to visit my brother Willie's grave, and perhaps spend a night with her friend, Mrs. Lowther. Fortunately we had the railway carriage to ourselves and, oh, how sweet were the confidences that made that two hours'

drive ever memorable to me! At Penrith we parted. Penrith is a mile or more from the Caledonian Line, but there were vehicles there to meet the train, and I watched Mother pa.s.s from my sight with smiles, and the pleasant flutter of her handkerchief.

Then by a real physical effort I cast off the influences I had indulged for a week, and began to allow my nature to imbibe the strength of the hills through which I was pa.s.sing--hills beyond hills, from blue to gray--hills sweeping round the horizon like a great host at rest. Down their sides the living waters came dancing and glancing, and, oh, but the lift of His hills, and the waft of His wings, filled my heart with joy and strength. Now and then we pa.s.sed a small stone house, rude and simple, with a moorland air, and I felt that the pretty English cottages with their thatched roofs and blooming gardens, would have been out of place in the silent s.p.a.ces of these mountain solitudes.

It grew very cold as we neared Carlisle. Every one I saw was b.u.t.toned-up and great-coated, and I was sensible of as great a change in humanity as in nature. I had missed all the way from Kendal the workingman's paper cap, the distinctive badge of labor in those days.

If there were workingmen around Carlisle they did not wear it. All the men I saw wore large caps of heavy blue flannel, sometimes bordered with red--an ugly head-gear, but apparently just the thing wanted by the big, bony men who had adopted it. I saw a crowd of them at Gretna Green, where a woman got into the train, and rode with me as far as Ecclefechan. She was not a pleasant woman, but I asked her about this big blue cap, and with a look of contempt for my ignorance, she answered, "They are just the lad's bonnets. Every one wears them.

Where do _you_ come from?"

"London," I replied with an "air."

"Ay, I thought so. You're a queer one, not to know a blue bonnet, when you see it."

Then I had the clue to a das.h.i.+ng, stirring song which had always puzzled me a little, "All the Blue Bonnets are over the Border." It meant, that these blue-bonneted giants, were over the English border, raiding and harrying the shepherds and farmers of the northern counties. And I smiled to myself, as I remembered the kind of welcome always waiting for them, whenever the slogan pa.s.sed from fell to fell:

"c.u.mberland hot, Westmoreland hot, Prod the Scot!

For all the blue bonnets are over the Border!"

CHAPTER VIII

LOVE IS DESTINY

"Love is the secret of life. Love redeemeth. Love lifts up. Love enlightens. Love advances the soul. Love hath everlasting remembrance. Love is a ransom, and the tears thereof are a prayer.

Oh, little Soul, if rich in Love thou art mighty.

"Love is Destiny. The heart is its own fate."

In the cold, hard light of the winter afternoon, we reached Glasgow; entering the city by the Buchanan Street Station. I stepped quickly out of the carriage, and saw Mr. Humphreys looking for me. He was about fifty-six years old, tall, and rather stout, with a pleasant face, and snow-white hair. I walked towards him, and the moment he saw me, he smiled, and nodded his head.

"I was looking in the first-cla.s.s carriages," he said.

"I was in the second-cla.s.s," I answered. "I could not waste money on the first, just for a short ride." Then he laughed, and, clasping my hand, asked, "How many trunks have you?"

"One," I answered.

"Any parcels, valises, or bandboxes?"

"Nothing of the sort."

"I never heard the like. What kind of a girl are you? Stand right here until I bring a carriage; then I will take both you, and your one trunk, to Miss Pollock's."

In a few minutes he came with a carriage, and we were driven rapidly up Sauchiehall Street, until we came to an Arcade. Here we stopped, and, as there was a large grocer's shop there, I knew it was at the end of my journey.

"Pollock," said Mr. Humphreys, "let a couple of your big lads carry Miss Huddleston's trunk upstairs;" and then I was introduced, and told Miss Pollock had been looking for me, and my rooms were ready and comfortable.

I thought I would go through the shop, but no, Mr. Humphreys took me to a stone stairway in the Arcade--a stairway pipe-clayed white as snow--and, after climbing three flights, I saw an open front door and a nice-looking woman, about forty years old, waiting to receive me.

Mr. Humphreys would not go into the house, but told me to be dressed at five o'clock the next day. "Mrs. Humphreys wishes you to dine with us," he said, "and we shall also have a few friends, so you must make yourself smart. Five o'clock!"

Then I heard him going rapidly down the stairway, and I turned to Miss Pollock with a smile. She took me into a little parlor, plainly furnished, but clean and neat. There was a bright fire in the grate, and a small, round table, set for one person, before it. She brought me tea and lamb chops, and some orange marmalade, and delicious rolls, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The next morning I unpacked my trunk, put my clothing in convenient places, and took my books into the parlor. I had a silver lamp that Miss Berners gave me, and many pretty little knick-knacks, and I was delighted with my sitting-room, when I had arranged these ornaments.

At four o'clock I had a cup of tea, and then dressed myself in readiness for Mr. Humphreys' call. I was a little at a loss to know how to dress, but white could not be out of place on a girl, so I put on a white l.u.s.trous alpaca, trimmed with narrow bands of white satin.

My hair was well and becomingly arranged, and I had my satin slippers, and long, white, lace mitts, in a bag over my arm. I thought I looked very pretty, and Mr. Humphreys said so, as he gave me a fresh camilla to pin in front of my dress.

As I entered the Humphreys' house Mrs. Humphreys gave me a hearty welcome, and, as soon as I was ready, introduced me to a number of middle-aged ladies and gentlemen, who were sitting or walking about in the large parlors. I wondered at seeing no young people, but every one was so kind, I never thought of disappointment. I was particularly attracted by a Mrs. Semple, a tall, dark woman, with unmistakable signs of having been a great beauty. The moment I was introduced to her, she said,

"You can leave the la.s.sie wi' me, Mistress Humphreys. I'll make her as wise as mysel' anent the notables in the room. I'm feared there's few to brag about, but there's nae use in letting strangers ken we're just common folk."

In pursuance of this intention, she said, as I was seated beside her, "Look at Peter McIntosh. Do you see the man?"

"I do not know him," I answered.

"Then I'll make you acquaint. Peter is a good man to know, and his wife is weel worthy o' him. Peter is a notable shoemaker. He makes shoes by the thousands, and sends them to America for sale."

"Really?"

"Yes. His factory is in the Goose Dubs. He'll take you to see it willingly. s.h.i.+p loads o' his shoes go to the Yankees, but they are getting on to his ways, and he had better make shoes while he can, for they'll beat him at his own game soon. The little body in violet silk is his wife; she is aye trotting after him. How long have you known John Humphreys?"

"A few hours, but he is an old friend of my father's."

"Weel, that's a fine beginning. John is another Glasgow notable. He's only an exciseman, if you come dawn to facts, but they ca' him a Supervisor. It's a grand place for John, and he fills it wi' great credit to himsel'. The big man he is talking to is called Sage. His wife hasna' ta'en her e'en off you since you came into the room.

She'll be telling hersel' that you will make a braw wife for her son Alick. Alick will be here anon. Tak' care, or you'll lose your heart to him. Thanks be! there's the dinner bell at the last, but it is three minutes past ordered time. Annie Humphreys ought to be reprimanded--only her husband daurna do it," and she lifted her long velvet train, and took Mr. Sage's arm as she expressed this opinion.

I never was at such a dinner before, and I never saw such dinners outside of Scotland. I do not remember a thing we had to eat, except ice cream, and, as it was the first time I ever saw, or tasted ice cream, there is no wonder it has a place in my memory. It was a lingering pleasure of food eaten with constant merriment that charmed me. Then, when there was nothing on the s.h.i.+ning mahogany but the nuts and fruits and the big toddy bowl, then, indeed, if it was not the feast of reason, it was the flow of soul. Song followed song, and story followed story. At first the songs were comic, such as the "Laird o' c.o.c.kpen," or "O Johnnie Cope, Are You Waking Yet?", but, as the music opened their hearts, these easily pa.s.sed into the most pa.s.sionate national songs; and, in an hour, there were only sentimental Scotchmen present. Every one was then tearful about Prince Charlie. Two generations previously, the dinner would have been broken up as a Jacobite meeting. But, oh, how I enjoyed it! A little later I said so to Mrs. Semple, and she answered,

"Dinna delude yoursel' anent thae men wiping their eyes, as they sing, they are only specimens of the after-dinner Scot."

"They are full of patriotic feeling," I said.

"To be sure, after dark, and over the toddy, but they have been in Union Street, and Buchanan Street, Virginia Street, and the Cowcaddens all day long, doing what? Getting their s.h.i.+lling's worth for their s.h.i.+lling, ay, their farthing's worth for their farthing. Where was their patriotism then? Wait till the Sawbath Day, and I'll show you the Scot who is a Son of the Covenant, and who wouldn't lose his soul--on that occasion--for the whole world."

Just as she said these words, she rose hurriedly to her feet, crying pleasantly, "There's my Willie! We'll hae the dancing now," and immediately a bevy of girls and young men pushed aside the portieres, and curtsied to the company. Then the elder men and women went into the out-of-the-way corners, and played "Catch the Ten" or "Bagatelle,"