190 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



ter's house had then in the press for Walter Scott, " Mar- 

 mion." His sun was at that time in the ascendant, but it 

 did not culminate in full splendor until years after my 

 return home. I believe, however, that the "Minstrelsy 

 of the Scottish Border," and his " History of the Scottish 

 Border," had been published. 



Sir John Stirling and Lady. In my childhood, an itin- 

 erant mechanic, an artist in metals, travelled from place to 

 place, bearing his tools on his back, and he was occasion- 

 ally at my father's house to repair the utensils of the 

 kitchen. My brother and myself, both below our teens, 

 were delighted with the visits of the old man, listening to 

 the clatter of his hammer as it was applied to the sounding 

 brass, and entertained more still by his legendary lore. 

 Among other tales, he was wont to enlarge upon the high 

 condition of a daughter, married, as he said, to a Laird in 

 Scotland, the possessor of a great estate, and of flocks of 

 sheep and herds of cattle, with their herdsmen and shep- 

 herds. The story sounded like romance ; but it was stated 

 in proof of its truth, that the daughter, still filial in feeling, 

 although exalted in condition, did not forget her family, 

 and proved her fidelity by sending out annually presents 

 of valuable things to her humble sire and mother. Such 

 was the story of old Fulsome (Folsom), as he was called; 

 and the tale went through Stratford and Fairfield that, 

 before the American Revolution, a young Scotch Laird 

 stopped over the Sabbath at Stratford, either voluntarily 

 or constrained by the strictness of Puritanical laws which 

 forbade travelling on that day ; and what could he do bet- 

 ter than go to church ? And to church he went, seeking 

 edification, as we might charitably hope, but finding, at 

 least, occupation, and finding, moreover, a boon little ex- 

 pected. The legend relates that a beautiful girl among 

 the singers caught the eye of the young traveller, and, 

 more than the minister, fixed and engaged his attention. 



