ACROSS THE BORDER

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8681, 14 March 1914, Page 7

ACROSS THE BORDER

STAMPEDE FROM SCOTIA FRIENDS OP THE LONELY I. ADS FROM THE GLENS. "From tho dim shelling and the misty island. Mountains divide us and a world of But still our hearts are true, our hearts are Highland. And in our dreams we see the Hebrides.” Since Dr. Sximuel Johnson (rather jealously, one fancies) sneered at Scotsmen who “'made good” in Loudon, the canny Caledonian (perhaps in sheer “cussedness”) has continued to cross the Border in ever-growing numbers. From the fastness of tho far North hordes of Mackenzies, Macdougalls, Macgregois, Macmillans, MacLuskies, Macdonalds, and other Highland clans, reinforced at' Glasgow or Edinburgh by Scotts ana S’tevensons, and Sampsons and Grahams, and Johustoncs and like.. Lowland law-abiders. are daily disgorged from tho Scotch ©xpre.-Sscß at Huston Station or Kiug’s Cross, the abjsmal gloom of which is often, alas! only too prophetically symbolic of "'hat’London holds hidden for the youthful. the solitary, and the inexperienced. LOST THROUGH LONELINESS. We hear much (too much sometimes) of tho successful Scot in London, but we hear little or nothing of the failures. Yet, many a Scottish home can tell its tale of a son or daughter whom the metropolis has literally swallowed upThe -Northern temperament, , especially tho Celtic, is inclined to go to extremes. It is either “unco guid” or ‘ unco bad, and when it goes under (as it orten does in London through sheer loneliness and friendliness), it does so hopelessly ‘ ll ahis b fact t was first forcibly brought home to leading Scotsmen in London twenty-eight years ago by the Rev. W. Burton Alexander, a Scottish divine, who found many of his own countrymen and countrywomen in the loathsome lodging houses and haunts of vice whion used to abound near Drury Lace, in nine cases out of ten the predisposing cause of the downfall proved to be the horrific loneliness of London and the truly atyful feeling of agonising despair which arises from it. NO ENGLISH ACCENT.

He secured the co-operation of the leading Scottish nobility and clergy, and thus it was that the Caledonian Club came into being—that remarkable organisation which, appropriately enough, is situated in Hndfdeigh Gardens, just opposite Boston- Its benevolent-look-ing, brightly-lit windows smile a reassuring welcome to the homesick, bewildered "lad o’ pairts” as he steps into the foggy gloom of the Euston road, so appallingly different from tho keen, clear air of his native glens. And he finds a Scottish "high tea'’ waiting for him, and hears the sounds of the Northern tongue all around him. Nobody has "an English accent” hut the parrot, a benevolent bird, brought,from the heart of Africa. It greets ...each .new arrival with the appropriate; exclamation, "Great Scot!" Tho secretary of the Caledonian Club is Mr Arthur Robertson, who possesses unique qualities for the post, not the least of them being a sense of humour and a sympathetic understanding of young men. In his wife, charming to look at, with her lace cap set on her wavy, silvery hair, he has an ideal helpmate. ’ Under their tactful influence. Highlanders and Lowlanders dwell together 'in perfect .accord, all forgetful of' the time when the Lowlanders looked upon the Highlanders as lawless freebooters and .'desperadoes/' and ; the; Highlanders regarded the Lowlanders as dull and mechanical drudges, incapable of appreciating "long tales of woe and wonder.” The Highlander is still more tovingand restles-s .than the Lowlander, for Mr Robertson finds that a much larger Proportion go abroad. . • Quaint days of the past. . "Can ye speak of the days of Fingalf” used to be the eager question put by a Highland clan of the heroic days to the stranger. If Mr Robertson cannot speak of the days of Fingal,- ho has many strange and amusing stories to relate, of his work as a temperance lecturer in the Highlands of Scotland. He has had many a, “caileidh” (as the Gaelic- has.it) with the men of Cape Wrath, 'and he has hobnobbed with the Hebrideans. The men of Lewis are much to his mind, and Eoss-shire and Sutherlandshire he has found good "in parts.” , To teach temperance to Highlanders wag a, tough task in those days. Even "the'manse” was not friendly. “Ocli, yes; they’ve been telling me about you,” said One minister’, when Mr Robertson asked for his co-operation; "but we’re no wanting to hear you. We’re no drunkards here. Yon take my advice, and go back from, where you came.” Once,, after an eloquent address by Mr Robertson, a crofter rose in the audience. "A’m to a cairtain extent in agreement with the lecturer,” he said, "but there is a deeficulty. If I was to be taking the pledge the now. what would a be doing with the whusky a have in the hoose? A’m thinking a’ll have to drink that -first and conseeder tho pledge afterwards." The result of Mr Robertson’s wanderings in Scotland is that hardly a lad comes to London but he knows someone who knows him. He is- in touch with parents all over Scotland, and if anyone is in doubt or difficulty, their first thought is to write to the Caledonian Club. Some of them seem to imagine that Mr Robertson can perform miracles, and.it certainly seems-sometimes as if he ooilld . He believes literally that with faith all things are nossible. THE! MOTHER’S ANSWERED PRAYER "Find my lassie,” wrote a deepairing mother, whoso daughter (a domestic servant in London) had suddenly disappeared. She wrote from a far-away hamlet where “finding” people .was a simple matter. Her experience happily could give her no hint of -the dark labyrinth in which her daughter had lost herself. Mr Robertson had nothing to go upon but the despairing cry of the mother in a letter which might, as he now the girl is living happily with her heart’s blood. "Find my lassie.” But ho has a good deal of the mystic in him. In the Tennysonian phrase, he believes that “more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of." A miracle happened. The girl was standing on the doorstep a few hours later. She had gone to a hospital, but had been refused admission. Turning despairingly away, her eye fell on a Scottish name-plate on a doctor’s door, and she was emboldened to ask iris help. He sent her to the Caledonian Club.. And now the girl is living hanoijy With her mother in Scotland.

This is only one of the many marvellous stories that Mr Robertson could tell. His rooms are full of gifts from grateful parents. The most recent arriralat 11. Endsleigh Gardens, is a clever, courageous boy from South America who worked his way over by “peeling spuds" for the ship’s crew and passengers. He was absolutely alone in South America, but he had an uncle in a good position in London whom he was seeking. After many vicissitudes (which would make excellent “copy” for a kinematograph) he found his nilcle, who has placed him for the ipresent in Mr Robertson's care -in order that he may be educated. Though the club is primarily for Scotch people, other nationalities are cordially welcomed when there is room. THE SENSE OP HOME. The club can now accommodate about a "hundred young men. Quite recently the committee, the most active and enterprisintr members of which are its president. Mr Graeme A. Whitelaw. and its honorary treasurer, Mr ,T. Moucrieff Dick, courageously annexed the spacious Coburn Hotel next door, which was at one time the residence • of the Marquis of

Tavistock. If fond mothers in the far north careful for their sons’ comfort, could only see the charmingly-furnished home, with its atmosphere ut peace and kindliness and perfect freedom, its magnificent drawing room, its smoking room study, billiard room, and lounge as well as its charming airy bedrooms, with t heir cheerful wallpaper and fixtures, they would assuredly never feel another pang of anxiety on this score. No homo could be more "homely.” And the reasonableness of the prices makes the persou accustomed to Bloomsbury charges field up hands of astonishment. But, of course, it would be impossible to provide euch accommodation for .younsr men and lads beginning, life if loading Scotsmen in London and other parts did mot contribute financially.—M.Jl.B. -in London “ Daily News and Leader.”