Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-12-08

2 of the stream below, or with glowing face up.
raised, revelling in the clear deep blue, and fai
floating clouds above; or, perchance, walking
slowly on the shore, coming down the plea.
SAINT &C Braes O. Ballochmyle,'' musing, with fol.
ded arms and dropping head on the ssbonnie
lass" who had there unconsciously strayed across
the path of poet, and chanced upon Immortality.
The Doe seemed to roll by with the melodious
flow of his song-now with the impetuous sweep
of passion now with the fine sparkle of pleasant
! wit; or under the solemn shadows of sorrow; now
out to the clear sunlight of exutant joys now with
the soft gurgle and silver rickling of loves light
measures now with the low deep murmur Of de-
votion. As fingered there, countless snatches
of the poets Songs, and stanza after stanza long
forgotten poems sprang to my lips; rare thoughts
the sweet, fresh flowers of his genius seemed sud-
denly to blossom out from all the hidden hooks
and still shaded places of memory, and the fair
children Of his fancy, who had sunk. themselves
T to sleep in my heart long ago, stirred, awoke,
and smiled into my face again. !, 80 9
Happily for me, my companions fully under
stood and sympathised with my mood--so, little
was said, that much might be felt. One sung:
s'f banks and Dfaes o. bonnie OooR:''
and whether it was that his voice, in its deep, pa
thetic tones, was peculiarly suited to the mourn
ful words and air, that the scene itself mingled
! its melodious memory with the singing, 1 know
not: but never before had been so affected by
i the song. -,z 4.
sister and neices of Burns-Mrs. Beggs and her
daughters-who we had been assured were most
kindly accessible to visitors. This visit was al
together the most interesting and gratifying even
Of the day. Mrs. Beggs lives in a simple but
charming little rose-emboWered cottage about a
mile from her birthplace, where all who seek her
with respectful interest, receive courteous and
cordial welcome. Mrs Beggs is now about eighty
years of age, but looks scarcely above sixty, and
shows more than the remains of remarkable beau
ty. Her smile could hardly have been sweeter,
or her eyes finer at twenty Her sight, hearing,
and memory, seem unimpaired; her manners are
graceful, modest and ladylike, and she converses
with rare intelligence and animation, speaking
with slight, sweet Scottish accent. Her like
ness to Nasmiths portrait of her brother is very
amarked-her eyes are peculiarly like the idea we
ii"'S - 80, y PASeiSS e.1eA oSSSi
large, dark, lustrous and fchanging-those eyes
shone with new brightness as told her of our
love for the memory of her beloved brother, our
sympathy in his sorrows, and our honor for his
free and manly spirit. When told her that the
New World, as the Old, bowed to the mastery
of his genius, and were waved to smiles or tears
by the wondrous witchery of his song But when
| spoke my admiration of the moment, and said,
Is.What a Joy it would have been to him, could he
have foreseen such noble recognitions of his
greatness p she smiled mournfully, and shook
her head, saying, "Ah, madam, in his proudest
moments, my poor brother never dreamed of such
a thing;'' then added that his death chamber was
darkened and his death agony deepened by want
and care, and torturing fear for the dear ones he
was to leave. l was reminded by her words of
an old Scotch dame, in our country, on hearing
of the completion of this monument; s.Puir Rob;
he asked for bread, and now they gle him
stane." ~
Mrs. Beggs says that Nasmith's portrait of her
brother is the BEST but that no picture could have
done full justice to the kindling and varying ex-
preston of his face. In her daughters, who are
pleasant and interesting women you can trace a
strong family resemblance to the poet. The three
sons of Burns are yet living-two in the army,
t enc has situation under Government at Dunn
/ fries. All three widows, When saw her.
Mrs. Beggs was expecting daily the two youngest
the soldiers, who often possible visit Ayr,
and cherish as tenderly proudly the memory of
their father.
+ twas with deep emotion that parted from this
gentle and large hearted woman, in whose kin
dred and likeness to the glorious peasant almost
felt that had seen him, heard his voice with all
I its searching sweetness and had my soul sounded
| by the deep divinings of his eyes. It seems in
deed, blessed thing that, after the sorrow which
.darkened her youth, the beholding the pride of
her house sink into the grave in his prime, bro
ken-hearted by the neglect of friends, the con-
tempt and cruelty of foes, by and poverty,
and, bitterest of all, by a weary weight of self
reproach-that she has lived to see his children
happy and prosperous-his birth place and his
grave counted among the worlds pilgrim shrines
Ito be herself honored and beloved for his sake,
and sun her chilled age in the noon-tide of his
his glory sos
POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATEs.-The
population of this country is composed of people
from almost every civilized country on the globe.
Yet with all the conflicting prejudices Of the citi-
zens of different nations here congregated, har-
mony almost unknown in other countries prevails.
The cause of this is fairly traceable to the toler-
ant spirit of institutions and laws which teach
that all men are born free and equal. Although
grants from the same country associate more free