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had antiques. I purchased from him the
mahogany tea tray with the Prince of Wales
feathers inlaid in the middle – also the small
(?) Hepplewhite armchair with the pierced
oval panel in the back [drawing of panel inserted]. As I was
settling the transaction, he produced a photo
remarking that Here [?] was the finest bureau he
had ever had through his hands, but that
at present it was in Carlisle. I looked at
the photo, and at once saw that it was the
very article which I had purchased a few
days before. “What price did you ask” I
asked “£10 & not a penny less,” So-so I thought
& going out wrote a postcard to the Carlisle
dealer asking him why he put on £2 extra etc.
On returning to the shop for my goods I told
the owner that I had purchased the bureau
a few days ago, and that his agent had asked
£12. Now while I was out of the shop a letter
had actually arrived from the Carlisle man,
saying he had made the sale, inferring that the
price was £10, and that the purchaser would
not pay till November. The game dealer was
furious as he declared the man had been
cheating him for years & he had never been
able to catch him. “Leave it to me” he said

“and I shall fetch the bureau from Carlisle myself
“& forward it to you in Edinburgh and you shall
pay me £10.” All which I duly did. It was a
strange coincidence that I should find myself
in the shop of the actual owner of the bureau, al:
:most at the moment that the letter from the
dealer in Carlisle arrived announcing the sale.

23 Sept. 1917.
Woodlea, Melrose. Since the beginning of August the family have
been in rooms here, and most comfortable we have been. I
joined the party on 25th August. For a week Sandy removed to
the gardener’s cottage at St. Cuthbert’s where he lived the simple
life with his friend Robert Bairn’sfather, doing their own cooking, and
on rarer occasions, cleaning. The boys greatly enjoyed themselves
though the weather was far from perfect. On 8th Sept.
I took Sa’ to shoot at Morriston for the first time. Much
corn was still uncut, and the weather unpleasant. Partridges
were scarce, we only fell in with one covey. It was a happy day
as Sa’ shot a snipe, his first bird on the wing, and he
also bagged 2 or 3 rabbits and a hare. I have been shooting
on two occasions since, but have seen very little game.
A visit to Morriston is always a pleasure to me, as I have gone
there shooting since quite a small boy, and there is not a
spot hardly where I do not recollect shooting something.
When I first went there, the farmer, old George Henderson, grand
father of the present one, always came out to see us, never
without a tall silk hat on, his head and a black stock
[continued on page 47]

  Transcribers who have contributed to this page.

Moira L- Moderator, Jane F Jamieson