Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-11-29
NUMBER 80
SELECT VARIETY.
Grace Greenwood at Burns1 Birth-piaoe.

Grace Greenwood at Burns Birth-place.
On our way back to Ayr, we called to see the
sister and nieces of Burns-AIrs. Beggs and her
daughters-who we had been assured were most
kindly accessible to visitors, The visit wal 81 alto
gether the most interesting and gratifying event of
the day. MrS. Beg:s lives in a simple but CHARM
ing little rose -elnbowered cottage, about mile
irom her biLth-place, where all W no seek her with
arespecttul interest, receive courteous and cor
dial welcome. Mrs. Beggs is now about eighty
years OF age but looks scarcely above sixty, and
shows more than the remains of remarkable beauty.
Her smile could hardly have been sweeter or her
eye inerat twenty. Her sight, hearing and nenl-
ory seem iunimpuired; her manners are graceful
modest and ladylike, and she conyerses with rare
intelligence and animation, speaking with slight,
sweet Scottish accent. HeL-IkenesS to Nesnith
portrait OF her brother is very marked her eyes are
peculiarly like the idea we have of his, both by
pictures and descripton-large, dark lustrousi and
changing. Those eyes shone with new brightness
as told her of love for the memory of her be-
loved brother, our sympathy for his sorrows, and
out. honor lorshlS Tree and manly Spirt-wheh
toldher that the New World, as the Old, bowedto
the mastery Of his genics, and were ,swayedFto
smiles or tears by the wondrOuS witCheTY Jof,hiS
song. But when Ike my admiration OF the
monument, and said, t'Whnt Joy it would have
been TO him could he have foreseenisuch aA6ble
recognition oil his greatneSslH she smiled mourn
fully, and shook her head, saying, tAh, madam, in
his proudeSt moments my poor brother never dream
ed Of such thing;'' then added that his death
chamber was 'darkened and his death agony deep
ened by want and care, and torturing fears the
dear ones he was to leave. ,,,,,.,o. ...,r
Mrs Beggs says that Nesmuhs portrait of her
brother is the best, but that picture could have
done full Justice tothe kindling and Taryingex-
preston ofhis face. In her daughters, whoiafe
pleasant and interesting women, you can trace
strong familiar resemblance to the poet The three
sons of Burns are yet living-twO are at Dumfries.
All three are wdowers. When saw her, Mrs.
Beggs was expecting daily the two youngest-the
SoldierS-who as often as possible visit Ayr, and
cherish as tenderly as proudly the memory of tler
father. l $50 45si 'iF
In June last, along with the ladies who accom-
panied us through Europe, we enjoyed similar
privilege and pleasure. We called not without
apprehensionS that what was most reSpectfnilyin-
| tended might be regarded as intrusive. Batthe
moment the "latch-sirng'' OF tie "roSe- emhnWer-
ed cottage" (ior such it is in truth as we'll jim
poetry,) was drawn, the courteous reception and
kind greeting OF Mrs. Beggs and her daughtersre-
lieved us hum embarrassment. Half an hour pas
sed in familiar, delightful conversation. Though
approaching !oUr-score years, Mrs Beggs is erect
in form, graceful i'll manners, and Sprighty in con-
yersation. HeY midGie-aged daughters are intelli-
gent and agreeable. The cottage, in which order
and neatneSs were manifest, seemed the abode of
that contented cheerfuness with which industry
and virtue reward tLeir yotaries. The daughters
support themselves and their mother (as we wsIG
informed by othelS) wiihthei needles al
Our only regret in taking leave of, these estima-
BILE ladies was that Americans who visit AyI can
not manifest their admiration of and obligations to
Burns in some form, that would benefit without
wounding his estimable sister and nieces. II !Lhfy
had the custody of the monument and the beautiful
grounds that surround il, or il they even occupied
the cottage whose garuen encloses the @; 5ifn