The Road to Dumbiedykes 



decorated with varicolored official- 

 looking seals, was duly issued by the 

 mistress of Laureles Ranch, and the 

 same now hangs upon the said dumb 

 walls of Dumbiedykes, where those 

 who may question the correctness of 

 this weird tale may have all doubts as 

 to the regularity of the procedure quite 

 removed. 



Scott's old Laird of Dumbiedykes 

 possessed one trait only, so far as 

 I can figure out, to which I should care 

 to lay any claim whatsoever. On his 

 deathbed he said, among many other 

 things, to "Jock," his son and heir: 



"Jock, when ye hae naething else 

 to do, ye may be aye sticking in a tree; 

 it will be growing, Jock, when ye're 

 sleeping." 



Many is the tree and shrub I've 

 "stuck in" during my time at the 

 Brick House farm. You may find 

 them on the lawn. One in particular, 

 a Rocky Mountain blue spruce, of 

 which I am very fond. The spireas 

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