Church Praise, Duncan Fraser, 19 In Praise of Tweed, W. S. Crockett, 94 "When West Winds Blow," James Mabon, 39 ILLUSTRATIONS. Fraser, Duncan, 95 Galashiels Cottage Hospital, 143 in 1855, 115 Nannie Knox's Corner, 157 Old Mercat Cross, 17 Glenormiston Wood, 5 Graham, Mary, 197 61 121 Garden, In the, 142 101 Glenfirra, 173 203 1 Hermitage Castle, 128 225 Highland Cattle, 25 181 141 Murray, William Henry, M.D., Holmfoot, 46 Kelso, Market Place, 163 Kirkhope Tower, 32 Langholm Manse, 238 Langholm, Old and New, 202 Leaderfoot Bridge, 13 Parish Church, 43 Loch Skene, 139 Maitland House, Kelso, 162 Mertoun Bridge, 29 Otter Hounds at Yair Bridge, 180 Richardson, Willie, 116 Roxburgh, Miss Janet, 147 Selkirk, from Woodburn, 62 Shiel's Cottage, Tibbie, 117 St Abb's Head, 84 Stubholm, Langholm, 145 Thomson, James, Hawick, 134 Torwoodlee Tower, 184 House, from North, 208 Traquair Kirk, 72 Tweed at Coldstream, 78 Watson, James, Late, Jedburgh, 165 William Laidlaw Memorial Hall, The, 240 Woodburn, Selkirk, 122, 123 Yarrow, On the, 68 S Stuart Douglas Elliot, S.S.C., MAJOR 4TH V.B. THE ROYAL SCOTS; TUART DOUGLAS ELLIOT is an Elliot on both sides of the house, born in Teviotdale, and one who has, along with its worthy founder and present president. Mr. John Telfer, been the soul and main-spring of the Edinburgh Borderers' Union for many years. It goes without saying that if a Secretary is up to his duty-vigilant, cautious, and at the same time judicious and enterprising, his Society will flourish. This has been the case with Mr. Elliot, and the Borderers' Union. But Mr. Elliot is a modest man, and a lawyer withal, and it is not easy, as the saying goes, "to put salt on his tail." It is next to impossible to interview a lawyer; he was born to interview you and note your weak points, and seldom cares to show his hand. Neither does he wear his heart upon his sleeve. As it happens, Mr. Elliot has a heart to wear on his sleeve, which his legal experience has not killed or soured, as any one may see, when he is in his own family circle, or beaming on the bairns' meeting. Few know the trouble he has taken in connection with the work of the Union. For instance, on 2nd December last, at the close of the Annual Soiree, he found himself in charge of the Dervish banner, belonging to General Wauchope, which had to be returned to Niddry House after II p.m. A man of less energy of character would not have troubled himself about it. But earlier in the evening Mr. Elliot had made a desperate struggle to get the banner in spite of the stupidity of a half tipsy cabman, and he was not to be done now. So getting his wife inside a cab, and shouldering the 14 feet of bamboo, he mounted beside the driver, and lodged it safely at Niddry House ere midnight. The Rev. Henry Scott Riddell, when he drew up an account of the parish of Cavers, in 1839, mentioned the eminent men connected with the parish. First there was George Augustus Elliot, Lord Heathfield, son of Sir Gilbert Elliot, of Stobs and Wells, who was governor of Malta, which he defended during the siege of 1779-82. Dr. John Leyden, resided with his father at Cavers, in 1794, and pursued his studies in the old church in such a way as to impress the villagers with the notion that he had doings with the "deil." Mr. James Douglas, of Cavers, was a well-known religious writer, and a lineal descendant of the old family of Douglas "Lords of the Border." Dr. Chalmers was assistant to the Rev. Mr. Elliot, Cavers, for three months, in 1802, and lodged during that time in the house of Mr. Kedie, a baker in Hawick. He was delighted with the beauty of Teviotdale, and the frank and intelligent cordiality of the families there, which made him write on one occasion to a friend, after his return to Anstruther; "I feel a strong tendency to depression in this stagnant place, and cannot help observing the astonishing contrast between this and Teviotdale. Less society, less business, less sentiment, and less information among the different orders." In 1846, the year before he died, Dr. Chalmers preached in the little Free Church at St. Mary's Loch. His daughters had climbed a hill near Sundhope, and when they came down he met them with the question, "And did you see Cavers?" He asked the shepherd who had been their guide if Cavers could be seen from the elevation. The shepherd answered in the affirmative, but his strength was too far gone to admit of his going to the hill-top. But three family, coming across a grass park with liberal provisions and refreshments for the whole company-one of the enjoyable recollections of an enjoyable day. Young Stuart Elliot attended school successively at Cavers (Miss Telfer), Kirkton Parish School (Thomas Little and J. M'Callum), and for a short period St. Mary's, Hawick. He began his legal training in the office of Messrs. Wilson & Anderson, solicitors, Hawick, in 1872; on a dissolution of partnership in 1874, he went with Mr. Anderson. Coming into Edinburgh in March, 1876, he was for several months with the firm of Messrs. Scott, Bruce, & Glover, W.S., when he entered the office of Mr. A. Kick Mackie, S.S.C., Secretary of the Edinburgh Merchant Company, months later he was at Cavers, seeking out old acquaintances, looking at the little room in Hawick where many of his first sermons were written, and his mathematical preparations made. At Jedburgh he passed several days with Mr. Elliot, grandson of the clergyman whose assistant he had been at Cavers. All this shows how Cavers, its people and scenery had been indelibly impressed upon the mind of the great preacher. Mr. S. D. Elliot was born at Cavers Lodge, in 1856. He is the second son, and the fourth child, of the late Mr. Robert Elliot and Isabella Elliot, of Cavers Mains. Those Borderers who enjoyed the Hawick trip of 1892, will not have forgotten the halt made at Cavers Mains, and the pleasant vision of Mr. and Mrs. Elliot and Pettigrew and Amos, Edinburgh. with whom he has been associated ever since. On the re-arrangement of the business of the Merchant Company in 1889, Mr. Elliot became the active partner in the firm of Messrs. Kirk Mackie & Elliot, S.S.C., first at 122 George Street, and afterwards in the present central premises at 40 Princes Street, where he carries on a general legal business-family trusts and conveyancing being leading features. The firm has also a fair amount of Court practice. Meanwhile, Mr. Elliot's legal and other studies had not been neglected. He was admitted S.S.C. in 1887. He had previously gained the fourth prize for conveyancing at Edinburgh University, and a second honours certificate in Scots Law. His name appeared in the honours list in the mathematical class (Professor Chrystal); |