SCOTTISH CUSTOMS.

Lake County Press, Issue 2137, 27 September 1906, Page 2

SCOTTISH CUSTOMS.

j It may not, be generally known that the wearing of the hill is still carefully observed in smart Society lin Scotland. A gentleman of hi„h ! degree dons a kilt of plainer tartan for morning wear and for shooting. I and in the evening, when he dresses | for dinner, he puts on his full-dress I tartan, with sporran and richlyjewelled dirk. After dinner, at dessert. the Highland pipers enter the dining-room, and. strutting proudly round the table play lively tunes on their bagpipes. Kvery evening at eight they arouse the sleepers with their “divine music,” .for every house has its piper, and the office is often a hereditary one. In fact, the old feudal spirit dies hard in Scotland, anti ancient customs are faithfully maintained. The Scottish Highlanders are a remnant of the great Celtic race which has remained j untouched by Roman and Saxon ini voders. They are allied to the Irish, (and atv still strangely unlike their j neighbours south of the Tweed. Gaelic is even now spoken in the Highlands, and many members of noble families take delight in reading writing and speaking this ancient language. The accepted rule is that no kilts should be worn south ol Stirling. Alost of the clans have badges ; for example, the Gordons an ivy-leaf. Hie Hays misletoe, and the Stewarts an oak-leaf. And heather is the national emblem of Bonnie Scotland—the same as the edelweiss j is to Switzerland.