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cal bed which she used, and which now, though perfectly undisturbed, is falling rapidly to decay. It is very short, and has a canopy over it, with curious tassels. It certainly had the most antiquated appearance of any piece of furniture I ever saw. In this room is still shown her baby-basket, in which were kept the clothes of James VI.; also, her work-box, the wood of which is as sound apparently as it ever was. This she brought with

her from France. In it is a miniature likeness of herself, which is touchingly beautiful. The per

son who attended us through the palace drew aside a curtain and showed us the secret stair up which Darnley and his men came when in pursuit of Rizzio. The spot where Rizzio was seized, and even the blood stains on the floor, are yet pointed out. By the way, these spots of blood were the subject of a good story, which, at the risk of being tedious, I must narrate. It happened that on one occasion the old woman who takes charge of these apartments was showing them to a London cockney, who was the traveling agent for a celebrated article of scouring drops. "These stains," said the old lady, pointing to the floor, "nothing will remove-there they have been for two hundred and

fifty years-and there they will remain while the floor is left standing." "Two hundred and fifty years, ma'am, and nothing take them out? Why, if they had been five hundred, I have something in my pocket will take them out in five minutes.” Accordingly, wetting one end of his handkerchief with the all-deterging specific, he began to rub away on the planks, without heeding the remonstrances of the old lady. She uplifted her voice and screamed as loudly as Queen Mary herself could have done when the deed was in the act of being perpetrated. A gentleman, who happened to be promenading in a neighboring gallery, hearing the screams, rushed in, and found the commercial traveler on his knees, scrubbing like a housemaid, while the old lady, by pulling at his skirts, was endeavoring to divert him from his sacrilegious purpose. It was no easy matter to explain to the commercial man that there were stains in the world which ought to remain indelible, on account of the historical associations with which they were connected. He went away muttering that he had "always heard the Scots were a nasty people, but he had no idea they carried it so far as to choose to have the floors of their

palaces blood boltered like Banquo's ghost, when to remove them would have cost but a hundred drops of the Infallible Detergent Elixir, prepared and sold by Messrs. Scrub & Rub, in five and ten shilling bottles, each bottle being marked with the initials of the inventor, to counterfeit which would be to incur the pains of forgery.'

A remarkable interest attaches to everything connected with Mary Queen of Scots.

Romance

and fiction have done much more to create this

than veritable history. Of the Stuart race, she seems to have been one of the most guilty; and because that guilt was perhaps too severely punished, she is considered as having been unfortunate and cruelly used. Her pretty face has done much to cover up her unwomanly crimes. She is the object of pity and sympathy, while holy men like John Knox, who, fearless of consequences, firmly, fully, and unreservedly told her her duty, are considered harsh and severe. It is time that this sickly sentimentality was scattered to the winds, and that honor be ascribed to whom honor is due that we view her as she really was, a wicked woman, though a Queen; and her

reprovers the champions of liberty, both civil and ecclesiastical.

Surrounding the Palace there is a large common, called the King's Park, where a Highland regiment, stationed in the Castle, were under review. It was truly a beautiful sight to see 800 finely made men going through their complicated evolutions with the regularity of machinery. The Highland dress consists of a cap with tartan band and plumes, tight red coat or jacket, tartan hose, shoes with a large plated buckles, and neat ribbon as a garter, while in front hangs the spleuchen or pocket, made of goatskin. After marching and countermarching, and going through various movements, they were ordered to fire. As all the men in each company fired at once, it sounded like a single report. Each company then formed into a square, with their officers in the centre-the feat they performed so successfully at Waterloo, and which enabled them to baffle overwhelming numbers for many hours. In this phalanx the faces of the men on all sides were outward. The outside row knelt, and in this position fired, while the next one behind fired over their heads. this there was a running fight, the men discharg

After

ing, sometimes on their feet, at other times kneeling, and again while lying in a horizontal position. Altogether it was a curious and interesting sight, while the smoke and the sound of discharging musketry made one feel as though he were in the din of battle. When the inspection was over, they marched to the national music of Scotland, the bagpipes, back to the Castle.

I have now lying before me a paper containing an account of her Majesty Queen Victoria's arrival at Holyrood, and her reception there. She and her royal household were received with all those demonstrations of loyalty and joy which an enthusiastic people like the Scotch so naturally manifest. The presence of the military-the roar of artillery-the assemblage of the nobles and magistrates—all served to give effect to the love for the Queen's person, which is so strongly felt, and was so appropriately manifested on this occasion.

Just one hundred and five years ago, these same gates were opened for the reception of one who laid claim to royalty—and whose claim, too, contained more justice in it than such pretensions usually possess.

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