"Sandy" and the "Herd Laddie" Forgaithering.

Otago Witness, Issue 1880, 2 December 1887, Page 28

"Sandy" and the "Herd Laddie" Forgaithering.

Maisthr Editor,— After the Herd Laddie had gone tae bed Mr Koss an' I had a grand crack aboot the auld gamejan' this wonnerfu 1 champion. We baith agreed that it wis something extrar'nor that sic an' auld man could aye be sac gleg in the een, an keep hia mind sac fresh, even after playin' at a lanp sittin'. We could only accoonfc fort by the nat'ral fondness Mr Wyllie has for the game, an' that stubborn determination sac characteristic o' Scotchmen for keeping up their reputation, especially when it is in reality a matter o' paunds, shillings, and pence. The croods wadna come aic lang distances tae see the champion play were It no for the wonnerfu record the Herd iaddie has made in every part o' the warld. An' atween oorsels it has been a lucky thing for Mr Wyllie tas hae been dubbed the Herd Laddie, tot it tlwo-ws a kind o* halo o' xrlyrtery roan' hie repute" tion, an' folk are never dane asking questions aboot the origin o't. Bit takin' him a'thegither, he is a grand auld man, an' worthy o'<V respect. t After exhaustin' &' cor stories aboot the game an the curious players we had met wi' in cor time. Mr Ross wad insist Jatean' a' aa it wis, upon tryin* hia haun' wi me, for he couldna geb oot o' his held the idea, o' me gettin' a draw frao the Herd Laddie in sic grand style. At I could ace he wis a great enthuij&Bfc, an' bad a

terrible likin' for tlie game, I didna liko tao eay.no,sae at it we went, an wi' etc earnestness that, dame after game wia played without us thinking o' Sirrie' ac a. As we happened bafth tae be hi the best o' humour w6 cracked uiony a j ike a'tween timer*, for bae'in' a game thegither wis ane o' these imexpefcied" pleasures that only happen noo an' then in oor lifetime, an' for the time bein' we are in a state o' perfect bliss, when they dae occur.

Yer readers wad nae doot like tae ken when we twa went tae bed, bit I'm no gaun tae satisfee their idle curiosity, bit suffice ifc tae say that we Bpent a verra happy nicht " owre the brod." I dinna think I'm wrang when I say that my genial host wis a wee bit surprised wi' some Kilsyth variations, that I Drot/cht oot in the coorse o' play, for he expressed a yPrfft vtdihi witfh that werrright meet again, sac that he micht better: try their soondness, for tho' they are gay bamboozlin* at a first glance,' be thoucht the next time he would be able tae clrc&mvent them.

I replied that as playin' wi' sac gude a match wis a doonricht pleesure tae m«, I wad only be too glad o' hae'in anither €ussle, an' a' tho mair sac if afc my am fireside.

At last we cried a halt, an' wi' can'les in oor haun', niair by force o' habit than necessity, we slippit awa 1 tae oor respective beds. 1 rose up what I th'oucht gey early in the t#ornm', for I wis anxious tae see the scenery when the dew wia on! the grass, as I aye think it looks freshest an' best at that time, sac ye may judge o' my surprise when I went intae the robta Ca'e get my hat, tae see Mr Koss wi' come slips o' paper in his" haun' earnestly studying some games by himsel'. We had a gude hearty lauch, an' I telt him if he didna get a' draw frao tho Herd Laddie this moriiin' he fairly deserved it, for sic perseverance ah' geueralshtp ouchtna' tan gang unrewarded. I strolled aboot fora while an' wis greatly charmed ■jH' §He nat'ral scenery o' hill an' dale, which wis gVeacly enhMotsQ hyao'me beatitifu' clumps o' British tree's artistically lauf oot for shelter an' ornament. A wee while after I cam' back frae my walk the Herd Laddie cam' intae the room sis fresh as a daisy, an' lookin'tho verra picture o' health. After the frien'Jy greetings o' the family circle we a' eat Intae the table, an' ainang ither nice things, I saw tho fine troot that win prtaentel in honour o' the Herd Laddie dressed up in sio fine fashion that it made my very lips watter in anticipation o' the treat in store.

.We hadna lang tao wait nfore we had the preein' ot, ah 1 c&uldna help smackin' my lips an' thinkin' for a wee while' tae mysel' tae sco if I could detect ony difference in tho flavour o't frae the bonnle troot my dear faither afore me used tae catch in the came Carron Water previously referred tie. As far ns I could judge there wis no muckle if ony difference in the flavour, tho' this ane bein' Caught near the sea, micht be a wee bit fatter an' firmer it onything, for it wis in gran' condition. The Herd Laddie enjoyed it as weel as my? el', and said that a better troot ho never tasted in a' his travels ; an' this lir.d ccarcely been oot o' his mouth when a frisky wee anifrfal caught his cc as it wis croasin' the lawn, nn' he at ance'asktfd what it wis.

Mra Koss said that it wis a pet deer that Mr llobb found in the park ac day by Itsel' when verm, young, as if it had got a great fricht, sac he took it up in his airms an' broucht it hame, an' I nursed it, an' noo it follows me wherever I go jist like a lap dog. Mr Hos3 then nskert her tae bring it in an' let the Herd Laddie see it, which she graciously did, an' a' the quicker nae doot that she had a few sweeties in her haun' which the beautifu' animal seemed tae enjoy as weel us ony bairn. The Herd Laddie stroked it gently, nn' admiml it verra "rmch.and asked if there were meny here aboot. Mr Kosb said that he thoucht he had a herd o' aboot '10 or sac, us he aften 3iuv3Oat*» time in the bush that ie set apart for them/ There were bnith English an' Scottish deer, an' they got on line thegither, an' that wis a red jiinglfsh ane aboot four months auld noo. This country ifl gey liko hrtme, sain the Herd Laddie, for I've had troofc for my breakfast, an' noo I'm strokin' a pet deer in the parlour, and I can see the English oak an' the Scottish fir. an' a lot o' itlior Imme trees a' growin' tne perfection us I sit here. I couUlna, help agreein' wi' him, an' sivyin' at the pamo time that this wis the maist haine-like place I had 6wn since I cam' tao the colony. We then a 1 went oot for a quiet dander in Die grounds, an' as the day wis a grind arte, an" ns everything look't sac fresh, after the wee bit shower that fell during the nicht, wo enjoyed oorsel's immensely, an" felt a' the better fort, for naebody cm admire the beauties o' nature, withoot warm feelings o1o 1 gratitude wellin' up in his heart to Nature's God. When oor stroll wis owro Mr Koss took the Herd Laddie an' me up tae the taptnosl. storey tae hae a commanding look o' the distant landscape, as well as a full view o* the Pacific Ocean, for the hoose is situated on the tap o' a kill, aboot a mile or sac frae the sea beach.

We were rapt in admiration o' the euchanting view, an' the Herd Lndtlfo couldna help exclaiming; " This is an Earthy Paradise, and wad bo considered a fine estate at Hame," Wo were ta'en from ane room taeanither, tae hae various views o' the surrounding country an' every ane o' them had a beauty o' its din. By-and-bye we cam' down <ac the lower regions, an' Mr Koss, enthusiast as lie is, proposed a game on the verandah, an' afore I had a time tae reply, oot he cam' wi' a fine wee table an 1 chairs. . I saw there was nae help fort, sac at it wo went wi' grim determination , bit he managed tae win a \«rra stiffly-played game. Of coorse I pit my want o' success douu' tae me bein' sac ta'en up wit he fine 6conery aboot me, bit wi' a hearty laugh ho aaid: " Na, na, that winna dae, for ye played it as wed as ye could." An' as it is a'owre noo, I believe he wasna far wrang. We had anither game, an' a gey glide ane f ac, but that ended in a drnw.

I then tauld Mrlfrss that I thoucht he should noo tackle the Herd 1 add c, for he was in flue fettle, an' seemed tne be greatly the better o' thesharpeningup I hadgl'en him tho nicht afore. Mr Ho?s, wha dearly lo'es a. joke, gn-atly admired mv modesty, an' said that he thinks ho could dae muckle better noo than he did last uicht, sao I wisua lang in hae'in the Herd Laddie sittin 1 opposite him. Mr Wvllie hae in the move, opened wi' the Bristol, which Mr Boss judicially, as it turned oot, converted Intne the Paisley. The game lasted a glide wee while, an' the fact o't being a draw against sic a player as the champion is tho best proof o f itß bein' a glide ane ; an' I've nae doot a' yer readers will be o' that opcenion after playin' it owre as it appeared iv the Witness a fortnicht since. It wis uoo gethin' near lunch-time, an* as the Herd Ifiddie had tae be in Falmerston aboot twa o'clock it wis no thoucht advisable tae start anitl or gnme. I could im help smilin' tno see wi' what, a hearty Rude will Mr ftoss put back the table nn' chairs, for it wis no difficult tne see that lie wis uncommonly weel pleased wi' himsM' at his mornln's wark. I raelly believe he wiß happier than if he had ta'en the first prize for the best merino ram at tbo Palmerston cattle show.

Ycr readers, I hope, will excuse me forbein'sae lang in tellin' them a' that happened in this uotr.ble iorgaitherhij' o' the Herd Laddie au' me, for it is no every day we hae Mr Wyllie amang üb. In next letter I'll tell ye hoo tho Palraerston bodies got on wi' tho champion.— l am, ie , Sasdt. New Chum Flat, November 28.