Notes and Events.

Manawatu Herald, 23 October 1894, Page 3

Notes and Events.

The late Dr Stuart who died at a good old age at Dunedin, in May last, was a twiu, and for the first two years of his life was so weakly that he was not expected to live to an old age.

The belief in withcraft lingered long in Scotland. Dr Stuart's grandmother fell under suspicion of the Session, and she was summoned in due and ancient form to answer to the charge, which involved the whereabouts of some missing cattle. She was able to clear herself.

During the boyhood of Dr Stuart whisky was much consumed in the Highlands. The liquor cost Is 6d a bottle and was of prime quality. Besides the regular distilleries there was a " small still " in every glen, sending up its special spiral blue wreath of peat reek to the sky. The exicse-men did not pry too closely into such matters.

One of Dr Stuart's lineal ancestors was in at the death of the last; wolf in Britain. His description of Highland funerals was often vivid and picturesque. He would tell how the mourners marched 15 or 20 miles through the mountain passes to an hereditary burying place, to the music of the mountain pipe, with its wailing lament ; how men were posted at regular intervals along thf> route with refreshments, and how innumerable relations, to the fiftieth degree of cousin hood, came from every part to do their last duty.

It i» reported that on one occasion when Dr Stuart had christet ed a child with a girl's name and when the ceremony was over learned that it was v boy, gravely anuounced from the pulpit "Oh, Mr — 's girl was a boy."

Besides christening, the Doctor had weddings to attend to and he used to tell of a bride of 60 summers who, after the knot was securely tied, looked up gratefully in his face and exclaimed, " Thank you, Doctor, 1 long expected, come at last. 1 "