The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-12-29

DEATH OF THE SISTER OF ROBERT BURNS.
The youngest sister of Robert Burns, the poet,
and the sole surviving child of the family circle of
which he was the elder brother, died on Saturday
morning, l4th, at her cottage, near Ayr.
The Ayr Observer gives the following particulars
of her life.
Isabella Burns, or, she more famarly
known, Mrs Begg, was born at Mount Oliphant,
near Ayr, on the 29th of June, l77l, and had she
lived till her next birthday would have completed
her eighty eighth year. She the seventh child
and third daughter of William Burns and Agnes
Brown, the members of whose family we NAV men
ton in the order of their age:-Robert, Gilbert
Agnes, Annabella, William, John and Isabella
About the year l774 or 1875 she was married, at
Mosegie, Mauchline to John Begg, who acci
dentaly killed at LesmahagOw, in 1913, and whom
she thus survived for the long period of fortyfive
years. At her husbands death Mrs Begg was left
with family of nine children, the eldest of them
being only eighteen. Except an allowance of go
per annum for three years from Mr. We're, she had
no other means OF support; but with the indeiati-
gable spirit of Burns, she set herself to exc out
her sc nty income by teaching a school at Kirk
moorhill, small village near Lesmahagow, where
she continued for three years. Her eldest son, who
had received a superior education, and had been
intended for the medical profession, was unable
to follow out his original views, owing to the
slender resources his mother had at her disposal,
and was obliged to content himself with the situa-
ton of parish schoolmaster younger also
occupied similar post. For some years Mrs. Begg
HtEsell ny tehCulLS anu SUCH sewing dS
she and her daughters could obtain in the neigh
borhood of Tranent. In those days the name and
tame OF Burns made comparatively little noise
Few even of his admirers knew their relationship to
the bard at all, and those who did know it had pro-
badly to make the discovery for themselves at least
the fact was never obtruded upon public notice.
One gentleman in Edinburg who had dealt with
the family for twenty years, never knew of the
lationshiP till they came to live in this neighbor
hood, although he enthusiast about all re-
latlnp to the Scottish poet. AT last. however. n
terest was made with the government, and pen
sion Of fl0 was obtained for Mrs. Begg through the
late Mr.. Ferguson, of Raith, NJ P. Afterwards, in
1872 by the kind exertions of Mr.. Robt. Chambers,
a sum of f400 raised by public subscription,
part of which sunk in annuity for Mrs. Begg,
and which dies with her. EGO being reserved for
the two daughters. The proceeds of Chambers
"Lie of the Poet" which amounted to f200,
also fell to the daughters, and the late Sir Robert
Peel, when in power, granted them pension of Gl0
each; so that in coming to reside in the neighbor
hood of Ayr, the united sums of mother and daugh-
ters made up aboul f73 of annuity. Mrs. Begg is
described as bearing considerable resemblance to
her gifted brother. She retained her faculties to
the last; so much so, that on the Tuesday before
her death, having had some seed sent her by Mr..
Currie, sculptor in letter from Merose, gathered
from the f'Broom of the COwden Knowles" she re-
marked to one of her daughters that she used to
sing that to her father more than seventy
years ago; and on being asked by her daughter to
repeat 1t then, she gave it with all the glee and
spirit she was wont to throw into her vocal
snatches.
The Observer says: at is not ftting-and least
of all is it fitting at such a time this, when, in
few weeks, almost the universal voice of civilized
will be raised in celebration of the great poets
centenary-that relatives should be left with
a miserable pittance making less than Els year
to each. The honor we are about to pay to the
dead would be empty if we failed properly to show
regard to the living, and the first sentiment that
will rise to the tongue of thousands and tens of
thousands, we believe, will be that sum in
some measure worthy of august an occasion
should be subscribed and set apart for them and
theirs by a grateful and admiring people. Thus
may an event, which might otherwise damp the
joy of many at the approaching centenary, be con-
verted into occasion of worthy and salts
factory commemoration."