Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-10-12
are most abundantly, for three cents a

| >e'>- aNSS iSt tAlSS NeAe' -
pound.
The Ayr folk have erected Noble
1 tower in honor of sir William Wallace,
which is adorned with statue Of the
| Scottish chief by Thorn. There is All
other statue of Wallace in niche of an
Fancient stone building, in which he once
took refuge when hard presscdby su
perior force.
| The tower of St. Johns church, cree
ted in the 18th century, but converted
into an armonv and fertilization by Oil
yer Cromwell in 1862, is a venerable
relic. The Rev. John Welsh, son-in-
law Of the reformer, John knoy, was pas,
tor of St John'5 church in 1850.
But | passed these objects with cur
sorry glance, for the purpose Of seeing
and crossing 'Ihe Rrigs Of Ayr whose
relative claims to consideration were 81
giowins!y sung by
The simple bard, rough at the rustic plough
Learning his tuneful trade from every bough.'
While standing upon the Aud Brig, ;
] looking towards lis gay rival, it required
but slight effort of the imagination to
>. endow it with the powers Of speech, and
to suppose it exclaimiGg:
Connected gowk puh'd up wi'windy pride!
This many ear Eve stood the food an tide |!
! An tho WI crazy cid I'm sair forftarin,
I'll be brig when ye're shapeless cairn'
And having imagined this. the super
ci!ous reply of the New Brig was Of
course heard:
Fine architecture! trowth, need not say't OF
! The Lord be thankit that we've tilt the gate
OF?
Gaunt gbastly ghaist allurng edifices,
Hanging with threat'ning jut like precipices;
Mansions that would disgrace the building
| taste
I OF any mason reptile Bird or beast
| 1t is llttle siusuIai that the poetic
prophecy of Burns, tn the old BRIG
would be brig when the new one be-
came a 'shapeiess cairn,' is about to be
realized. The new brig, since tile con-
! struction OF the Ayr railway, which ter
inmates near it, is found too narrow for
the increase o! business, and is to be ia
Ken town. This brig was built in
1873. HE sold brig was erected in
1855, and looks as lift might stand as
much longer
Before leaving the brig ms attention
was arrested by what with u.s. would
be regarded, il not patented, as an i'm
proved washing machine.' At least a
dozen washtubs were placed along the
shore OF the river Ayr. in which as many
femaIes-some old and ugly, and others
young and prettv-were pounding
clothes with their feet! I have heard
mat the Scotch lasses, who have large
'Oaklnss' knead their bread in the same
manner. The truth Of this, however
cannet vouch; but that saw them dan
eng III Washtubs, without stockings or
garters is certain.
" thin mile Of the river of Tarbol-
ton' near the river Ayr,i is the scene of
Burns last and truly aiTectionate inter-
view with Mary Campbell. 1t was Of a
Sunday, in May. Their mutual faith
was plighted, first BY having their hands
IN the pure stream, and then crossing
them upon Mary's Bible. Preparatory
to their marriage, Mary visited her friend
in Argyleshire, and il returning, fell
sick and died at Greencock. Burns re-
tanned through life most devoted re-
membrance of this early attachment
Mr.. LockhaTt, {who from frequent inter
views with the widow of the poet, deriv.
ed many very interesting facts in reIa
ton to burns) states, among other things,
that many years after his marriage, and
on the. anniversary Of the death of High
j land Mary after working hard all day
in the fields. though out of health, he
!. wandered into the barn,yard, where he
remained SO long that Mrs. B., alarmed
at his absence, went repeatedly and BEG
sed him to come in; which he promised
to do, but remained stretched upon a
mass of straw with his eyes fixed upon a
beautiful planet, that shone like another
moon, until late hour. On entering
the house, he called. for his desk. and
Immediately wrote the following sublime
and pathetic lines:
Thou lingering star. with lessening ray,
Thou lov'st to greet the early morn:
Again thou usher'st in the day
Ny Mary from my soul was torn.
Oh Mary! dear departed shade,
Where IS thy place OF blssful rest?
Seest thou thy lover lowly laid?
Hearst thou the groans that rend his breast
That sacred hour can forget
Can l forget the haIowed grove,
Where by the winding Ayr we met,
/ To live one day Of parting lover
Eternity will meier efface
Those records dear of transports past
Thy image at our last embrace;
All! little thought We twas our lest.
/ William Burns, the poets father, is
remembered as an intelligent, worthy.
plous farmer, but on whom fortune bes.
towed more of her frowns than ber
smiles. At his death, the family were
at r. Il