1915 Letter 29
Station Hotel
Glasgow - July 24, [1915]
My own dearest Mother -
I have positively ached to have you here to talk things over with. Mother, Scotland is glorious, and to think we can claim descent from every clan of any account is no mean heritage. But as I've said before I should have taken this trip with some who could feel the same thrills over the splendors and historical points.
I'm afraid I'm hard to suit in friends and perhaps not easy to make friends with - but Ida is years older than I am and used to having her own way. You know I never for one minute thought of being left alone with her - I fully expected Ethel would come - and when she backed out I hadn't the heart to say I wouldn't go. Perhaps it is because I didn't feel in a holiday frame of mind to start with and perhaps it is Ida's way of looking for people who are "typically Scotch" and her unconscious way of making fun of them and her total lack of interest in the history that gets my goat - but I'm bored and I can't help it. And now she's announced that we're not going to stay over night in Stirling as her friends are low. And I did want to stop there. However I haven't enough to pay her bills so I may as well go with her.
But to turn to pleasanter things. We stayed last night in Oban - and it is justly called the most popular watering place in Scotland. It is built up the hill and there are such pretty places. We stayed at the Station Hotel which was very clean and comfortable, though I have lived none so well as the Royal at Inverness. Here we are at the Station Hotel too and it isn't what we wanted - being expensive and not have as good value. But it's surely a case of live and learn. The whole trip is costing me about $75 so that isn't very high to pay for experience when such scenery etc. is thrown in.
We left Oban this morning at 8.20 and if you get a map you can follow our course down the shore through various lochs. I haven't an idea which are which for the guide book read from Wemyss Bay up instead of from Oban down and had a very vague way of mentioning points of interests as being "on the opposite side" etc. till I gave up in despair and took the scenery at its face value.
I bought "Kidnapped" to reread and found we came through a great part of that country. I'm going to read Scot this winter in my spare time, so when I go home I'll be a regular guide book.
We reached the Crinan Canal about 11.30 and changed to a [ ] canal boat - and then such beauties - I have never seen. At one side of the canal rose the mountains straight from the water's edge and at the other stretched most picturesque fields - apparently good farming country. We reached the end of the Canal about 12.30 - walking along the bank to stretch our legs and I bought some purple bell-heather from a little boy - I'll send it to you; and you can give some to Mrs. Thomson.
At Ardrushaig we embarked again on a large steamer, one crowded with Glasgow picnickers and there were free fights and other manifestations of gaiety.
The trip from there to Wemyss Bay was delightful - the sun shone without interruption and the Kyles of Bute were beautiful - no offense intended - Rothesay which we passed sported at least two dozen churches but the inhabitants seemed to forget about that on week days.
At Wemyss Bay there was a grand stampede for the train and we nearly lost two pieces of luggage. Had a few bad moments for all our uniforms were in them and no chance of getting to France in mufti - was there to lighten our spirits. However they turned up safely -
Glasgow is noisy and like every other big city. We have a whole day to put in and I guess I'll do the churches - If I went back without going to see Presbyterianism in all its pristine beauty I should never forgive myself.
Having worked off my superfluous feelings I shall proceed to bed - I have more than enough time to-morrow to write but had to get this out of my system. Knowing you'll laugh and understand -
Your loving daughter,
Helen