Wolfgang wrote:
My reminiscences of Spey and Speyside are drawing to an end, and I
now with natural diffidence approach a great theme. Every Speyside
man will recognise from this exordium that I am about to treat of
"Geordie." It is quite understood throughout lower Speyside that it
is the moral support which Geordie accords to Craigellachie Bridge,
in the immediate vicinity of which he lives, that chiefly maintains
that structure; and that if he were to withdraw that support, its
towers and roadway would incontinently collapse into the depths of
the sullen pool spanned by the graceful erection. The best of men are
not universally popular, and it must be said that there are those who
cast on Geordie the aspersion of being "some thrawn," for which the
equivalent in south-country language is perhaps "a trifle
cross-grained." These, however, are envious people, who are jealous
of Geordie's habitual association with lords and dukes, and who
resent the trivial stiffness which is no doubt apparent in his manner
to ordinary people for the first few days after the illustrious
persons referred to have reluctantly permitted him to withdraw from
them the light of his countenance. For my own part I have found
Geordie, all things considered, to be wonderfully affable. That his
tone is patronising I do not deny; but then there is surely a joy in
being patronised by the factotum of a duke.
snip
I really hated to do that - it was a very nice read. It was especially
fun to have to read much of it out loud (even if it was in my head)
before I understood the subject matter. Thanks.
--
TL,
Tim
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http://css.sbcma.com/timj/