en an ash
wand and a rowan-tree sword; and then, according to ancient custom, his
pedigree and the exploits of his ancestors were recounted, and he was
exhorted to emulate their example. Now it seems that a Highland chief
of the olden time, being as absolute in his patriarchal authority as any
prince, had a corresponding number of officers attached to his person.
He had a bodyguard, who fought around him in battle, and independent of
this he had a staff of officers who accompanied him wherever he went.
These our chief proceeded to appoint as follows:--

Henchman, Ronald Macdonald; bard, Penelope Hamilton; spokesman or fool,
Robin Anstruther; sword-bearer, Francesca Monroe; piper, Salemina;
piper's attendant, Elizabeth Ardmore; baggage gillie, Jean Dalziel;
running footman, Ralph; bridle gillie, Jamie; ford gillie, Miss Grieve.
The ford gillie carries the chief across fords only, and there are no
fords in the vicinity; so Mr. Beresford, not liking to leave a member
of our household out of office, thought this the best post for Calamity
Jane.

With The Mackintosh on his pyramidal cairn matters went very much
better, and at Jamie's instigation we began to hold rehearsals for
certain festivities at Rowardennan; for as Jamie's birthday fell on the
eve of the Queen's Jubilee, there was to be a gay party at the Castle.

All this occurred days ago, and yesterday evening the ballad-revels came
off, and Rowardennan was a scene of great pageant and splendour. Lady
Ardmore, dressed as the Lady of Inverleith, received the guests,
and there were all manner of tableaux, and ballads in costume, and
pantomimes, and a grand march by the clan, in which we appeared in our
chosen roles.

Salemina was Lady Maisry--she whom all the lords of the north countrie
came wooing.

'But a' that they could say to her,
Her answer still was "Na."'

And again:--

'"O haud your tongues, young men," she said,
"And think nae mair on me!"'

Mr. Beresford was Lord Beichan, and I was Shusy Pye

'Lord Beichan was a Christian born,
And such resolved to live and dee,
So he was ta'en by a savage Moor,
Who treated him right cruellie.

The Moor he had an only daughter,
The damsel's name was Shusy Pye;
And ilka day as she took the air
Lord Beichan's prison she pass'd by.'

Elizabeth Ardmore was Leezie Lindsay, who kilted her coats o' green
satin to the knee and was aff to the Hielands so expeditiously whe