BAKSKIMMING 



house, which was rebuilt after a fire some five- 

 and-twenty years ago, a lofty and beautiful bridge, 

 designed by Robert Adam, has been flung across 

 the chasm. 



Of the four sisters who have made Barskimming 

 their home for a number of years, each has her 

 peculiar province and chosen outlet for energy. Miss 

 Marianne Anderson has established and made famous 

 a stud of Welsh mountain ponies, a breed whereof 

 she was among the first to recognise the extra- 

 ordinary beauty and quality, and which has secured 

 for her many honours at Dublin and other horse 

 shows. Miss Fanny Anderson's specialty is orna- 

 mental ironwork, the garden gate, through which 

 we shall pass presently, being an example of the 

 combined strength and delicacy of her handiwork. 

 She has also a remarkable power of attraction for 

 wild birds. Whether this be psychical, or whether 

 it be purely physical, residing in a small tin box 

 stuck in her waist-belt, deponent sayeth not ; he 

 can but testify to what he saw. Pausing on 

 the bridge aforesaid on our way to the garden, 

 the bird-compeller sounded shrill summons to her 

 familiars, and forthwith there came from the dense 

 foliage of an aged oak, whose topmost branches 

 were several feet below the bridge, a hen chaffinch, 

 to perch on the parapet within a yard or two of 

 where we leant. A second hen followed, and after 

 her a cock bird, not quite so confident. Then the 

 magic box was opened, disclosing some tiny bits of 



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