Fretp MEETINGS. 193 
some speculation. Most of the branches. bear leaves of the 
ordinary shape; but on others the leaves are narrow and elon- 
gated; and the ordinary and “sport’’ form of leaf are found 
growing together on some branches. We believe the true ex- 
planation is that a fern-leaved beech has been grafted on a 
common beech, and is gradually reverting to the original type, 
as often happens. 
The gardens are extensive, and rich in fruit, both hardy and 
under glass, and in bedding out plants; and give evidence of 
very skilful management. 
The ladies passed most of the time in the gardens and the 
house, under the kindly pilotage of Mrs Gladstone. Reuniting 
forces, the party proceeded to the dining-room, where tea 
awaited them. Before rising from the table Dr Martin, Holy- 
wood, a vice-president of the Society, and the Rev. T. Kidd, 
Moniaive, expressed their thanks to Mr and Mrs Gladstone for 
their great kindness. Some time was thereafter spent in ex- 
amining the valuable collection of birds, the wonderful series of 
photographs of bird life, and other things of interest indoors. 
A recent addition to the ornithological specimens is a fine female 
raven, shot at Glenwhargen, for the injury which these birds do 
to sheep has produced war on the family long settled there. A 
volume inspected with peculiar interest was a large scrap book of 
the South African War, and particularly of the experiences of 
the 3rd King’s Own Scottish Borderers, as an officer of which 
Mr Gladstone took part in the campaign. A singularly pathetic 
memento which it contains is a letter of a Boer named Meyer, 
who had been sent into the Boer lines with letters intended to 
induce his compatriots to come to terms of submission. Being 
captured, he was tried by a military tribunal and sentenced to be 
shot. It was while awaiting the execution of the sentence that 
he wrote this letter of farewell to his wife. He tells how the 
sentence had been pronounced by an old friend of his own, 
named Joubert, who could hardly control his feelings in court in 
the discharge of the stern duty, and who afterwards came to him 
in tears. The writer indulges in no language of reproach or 
complaint, but sends a pious last message to each of his half- 
dozen little ones and to the wife who would be a widow ere the 
missive reached her. , it is a document fitted to bring home to 
the heart the essential bitterness of war. 
i: 
