The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1853-03-17
ny GRACE Greenwood.

Dear NJ: / left Belfast on the evening of
the 23d of September, with my friends, MIR. and
Miss n, for a short tour in Scotland. We
landed at Androssan, port of no particular
n6te. and from thence took the railway to Ayr.
This last is a fine, hourishing town, but aside
from the ''trG hrigs," containing no objects OF
peculiar interest associated with Burns
Here we took droskey, and drove over to the
old parish of Alloway. | cannot tell you how
sadly missed you from my side, fity dear
Nj, when approaching with the true spirit
of pilgrim, the birthplace of that noble poet
of Love and Nature, whose sweetest Songs had
learned from your lips almost with my cradle
hymns As gazed around on the scenes once,
dear and familiar t. his eyes. my heart if not
all a-glow with its earliest poetic enthusiasm.
acknowledged deep sympathy for, and did hon
or to him who, while his soul WAS lifted into the
divine air If poesy. withdrew not his heart from
his fellows-who sharel humb!y in their humble
fortunes and felt intensely their simple joys
and bitter sorrows-who with all his faults was
honest and manly; with all his wants and power
ty, proud and free. and nobly independent
who, anil all his follies and errors, acknowl-
edged God and reverenced purity.
The cottage in which Burns was born. and
which his father built, WAS originally what IS here
called II ''clay bigsing. consisting only OF two
siiiall apartments on the ground hoor-a kitch-
en- and sitting room The kitchen has recess
wildered baby eyes most unIenial world. -
This room it is supposed, was the scene nf The
Cott. RS Saturday Night" | was somewhat dis
appointed to find this cottage standing on the
road. and that it had been built on to, and white
washed out of all character and veneraiblent 81.
1t is now occupied as ale-house. which be-
seemeth it little the scenes OF the beautiful
religious poem above named. few rods from
the door stands the ..auld haunted kiik," thro'
one of whose windows luckless Tam d Shanter
took his daring observation of Old Nick and the
witches, ''as they appeared when enjoying
themselves" This is picturesque. ro hess;
raftless eiee. in good state OF preservation.
In the pleasant old church yard rests the father
of the poet. beneath the tombstone erected and
Inscribed by one whose days should have been
s'long in the land" according to the promise. Tor
Burns truly honored his father and his mother
From the kirk we went To the monumt mt.
which stands on the summit of the eastern bank
of the Doom. and near to the ..auld brig" ON the
..key-stone" of which poor Tam O'Shanter was
delivered from his weird pursuers. and his gray
mare ..Meggie" met with loss irrepar ibe.-
This monument, of which the prints give y"u a
very good idea is of graceful proportions and a
graceful style of architecture. The grounds a
bout IT, though small in extent, arc admirably
kept, shaded with fine shrubbery, and made
more beautiful by hosts Of rare and lovely How
ers. There seemed to me something peculiarly
and touchingly fitting in thus surrounding an
edfce. sacred tn the genius at Burns, with the
leafy haunts of the birds he loved, in whose songs
alone would his tuneful memory live, and with
the sweetness and brightness of flowers from
whose glowing hearts he would have drawn deep
meanings oflove and pure breathings OF passion,
or whose frail fragrant leaves he would have
read holy Sabbath truths, lessons of modesty
aud meekness, and teachings of the w"ndrous
wisdom of Him who planted the daisy on the
lonely hill side. and the poet in weary world
the one to delight the eyes, the otherto charm
and cheer the souls of his creatures.
Within the monument. we saw that most
touching relic of Burns. the Bible which he CAV.
TO ..Highland Mary their solemn b. tr"th'ii
II is in two volumes. On the dy leaf OF tht
first. in the handwriting of the poet. is the text
.'And ye shall not swear by my name talsri.
l am the Lord" In the second. "Tlfou s'i
not forswear thyself, but shalt performs anto H.
Lord thine oaths." In both volumes is the nam
, of Burns, with his Masons mark. and IN one l.
. lock Of Marys own beautiful golden hair