A new friend
October 1858. Sunlaws is full of visitors and the days and evenings are filled with parties and games. Charlotte makes fast friends with another young lady called Julia Meiklam.
19th Tuesday
Very cold, & not very promising for the Races. We had a sweepstakes, which I won As we started for the Races; a tremendous storm fell; it got quite fair again, but always came on at the beginning of each race. A good many people were there, but nearly al had to stay under cover. It was stupid; I have a wretched cold & was glad to get home again. We young ladies assembled in Mary’s room. I rather like Miss T. She seems to take to Mary. Mr Meiklam Julia, & Miss Snow arrived. Julia joined us, & she & I sat in an armchair, being most amiable. No ladies dressed for dinner, except Miss Snow. I am so glad to see her again, she is looking so well & much younger. After dinner, dressed for the ball. Mrs S K. was in a gold-spotted tartalane with mountain ash trimmings. I have seen her look better, I did not quite like the mixture. Mrs T. was in pink silk. We, young ladies were all in white, all tulle, except Mary, who was in tarlatane. Julia had white flowers, Caoline, blue, Mary, lilies of the valley & grass, Self, apple-blossom & new pink coral & diamond ornaments. Started at ½ past 9. Met the Elliots in the clock room, waiting for Ellen Paton. The Corn Exch: was prettily done up, through H. S.’s exertions. The walls were lined with a screen of plated pink, blue & white calico, & the lumps above had the globes coloured pink. Part was screened off for the supper & refreshment rooms, with running foxes over each door, as the emblem of the Caledonian hint. The royal arms in the centre. The cold & draughts were terrible. Mary sat in their cloaks all night. I did not admire the gentlemen in their red coats. Danced a great deal; first with Douglas, a country-dance. Then with W. & H. Scott, Mr Campbell Beaton, Mr Ennis, Mr Hay, Mr Astley, Capt: Stewart (34th) Charles Elliot, Sir Edward Cockburn, &c. Letty Scott looked very nice, in silver-spotted tarlatan, with wreath of bright green leaves, & silver grass. The Débutantes were Lady Charlotte E Ker, (in white & lilies of the valley, string of pearls round neck) Miss Roberton of Ladykirk, whom I did not admire. Lady C. looked particularly nice, the best of the young ladies. The Duchess looked very handsome. We stayed till about 3 ½, & enjoyed it excessively.
20th Wednesday
Bad day. No one went to the races All day nearly arranged for charades in the evening. H. S. had the management.* “Agincourt” (Age Inn-Court) & “Witch-Craft” were the words. An aged “Earl Bumpkin” (Mr Tod) was to present his daughter at the Court of Henry V. Had a squabble with his wife (J. Meiklam) about the manners. Gave their daughters (C Tod & Self) a lesson in the Inn. – Then Henry V (Harry) & his queen (Mary) sat on their throne, in crimson & yellow, & ermine robes, & crowns of gold & gems. The earl made his bow, & presented his daughters. Then a herald (Grace) came in to announce the battle of Agincourt, & the king wound up with a speech partly out of his on head partly out of Shakespeare. The next was to be 1st the witch scene in Macbeth. Mr Tod, Caroline, & Mary were the witches, (Mr Tod did it very well); then Arthur threw himself on a sofa, as sleeping Duncan; the “crafty villain” Macbeth (Mrs S K.) came & stabbed him, & he was dragged out by the foot. The whole word was represented by H. S. doing his conjuring tricks, which he does very well. In the afternoon, I accompanied Julia & Caroline, while they sang duets, beautifully; it was quite a treat. Then Julia & I had a long talk in the dark, till dinner, lying on her sofa. W. Scott came to dinner. I sat between him & Mr Meiklam. Afterwards music, then charades.
21st All went to the races, except the Meiklams, Miss Snow, Mary & Self. Took Miss Snow & Julia to the west lodge, the farm, & the old temple. Being rather tired when we returned Julia came to Mary’s room, & we lay on the sofa together, while M. arranged her wreath. Held sweet converse for some time, then to the drawing-room, where we found the party returned. Remained till near dinner. At dinner, sat between H. & Miss Snow. Was very stupid & did not make the most of the conversation. Then found Mrs S. K.’s eyes fixed upon me, & thinking it was because H. was talking to me so much,* thought proper to turn to Miss Snow for the rest of the dinner. After dinner, dressed for the ball. Mrs Tod in blue silk, Mrs S K. in a Palermian pink silk, with lovely pink roses; & she looked very well indeed; it was so pretty, & suited her so well. Julia in black tulle, with shaded red oleanders; which suited her very well indeed. Miss T., white tulle & pink flowers, Mary, white silk & holly wreath; she looked well & very imposing. I; in old white tulle, trimmed withpink ribbon. Hair turned up, with pink flowers, – & my pearls. The ball-room was very comfortable, as all the apertures had been filled up. The Lothians were there; Lady L. is certainly very pretty, such a particularly sweet expression, but spoilt by being too thin. Poor Lord L. seems very paralyzed, & obliged to go about with a stick. Danced a great deal. W. S., H. S., C. Elliot C. Benton, Mr Astley, Mr Dalyell, (cousin of Sir W. Dalyell) Major Scott of Gala, (who introduced Mrs Scott) Capt: Fosbury, Mr Malville (bad dancer) Sir E. Cockburn &c.) were my partners. My first was W. S. Enjoyed it very much; except that W. alarmed me by some of his speeches, & acts.
22d The Tods & Scotts went before lunch; the Meiklums after. Was very sorry to lose Julia, but we are sworn friends now. After they went, I rode to SWP. Saw Miss Makdougall, entertaining Mrs Edmund Elliot & her Sister & little boy. Gave her an acct of things in general Saw Mariquita for a minute, but she was not well.
Notes
H. S. had the management
Harry Scott of Ancrum.
H. was talking to me so much
Harry Scott again
W. alarmed me by some of his speeches, & acts
Willie Scott of Ancrum. It seems that Charlotte still fears he may propose to her once more.
