The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-07-10

Manor. His only surviving daughter mar
ried Hon. James Bayard, former law
student under Mr.. Basset. After his death
his estate was inherited by his children,
and the heirs of his son, the late Hon.
Richard II. Bayard, still holds much of this
Manor.
| left Belfast by an evening boat and
after good nights rest, landed in Glasgow,
which is situated on the river Clyde, SOM
bre dark river. The streets are regular
and wide, and the public buildings are so
located as to be seen to All advantage. The
cathedral commenced some time in the year
400 has been greatly improved by recent
additions. Near by is the cemetery, which
contains the monuments of many distin-
guished persons, the more conspicuous
among them being that of John Knox.
From Glasgow visited the land of Burns.
l have always had great desire to tread
on the ground Robert Burns so loved and
in which he had SO great delight. left
Glasgow by the morning train and pro-
ceeded to Ayr-distance 40 miles. l re-
member SO well during the long Winter
evenings. when quite young, sitting by the
fire and listening with wrapped delight to
the reading of Burns poems by my father,
who entertained the same delight in read
ing them, and who had the peculiar Scot
fish accent which added greatly to the
beauty of the poems. l then and there,
silently and secretly, made up my mind,
that should l ever come to mans estate, l
should most certainly visit the birth place
of Burns, and the spot where Tam O'Shan-
ter called out the witches: Kirk Alloway
has always had a peculiar charm for me.
The first things that attract the travel
er's attention when he arrives 1T Ayr are
the two bridges. The new brig and the
auld brig. The auld brig is certainly an
old structure; it is used merely for foot
passengers; it is built of stone; has three
arches, and in the center of the pathway,
has iron posts planted to prevent carriages
from travelling across it; it is about 10 feet
wide. The new brig is about 16 feet wide,
and has path for foot passengers on both
sides of the carriage way. Burns, in his
dialogue poem, beautifully describes the
"twa briggs" when either after drunken
revel, OR oppressed with care and trouble,
he left his bed at 2 o'clock in the morning,
at full moon, and visited the briggs.
ia simple bard,
Unknown and poor, simplcitys reward,
Ae night, within the ancient brugh of Ayr,
By whim inspired, or haply pressed wi care;
He left his bed, and took his hayward route,
And down by Simpsons wheeled the left
about:
whether impelrd by all-drecting Fate,
To witness what after shall narrate;
Or whether rapt in meditation high,
He WANDERED out he knew not where nor
why).
The drowsy Dungeon clock, had Numbered
two,
And Wallace tower had sworn the fact was
true:
The tide swoln Firth, with sullen sounding
roar,
Thro the still night dashed hoarse along
the shore:
All else was hush'd in Natures closed e'e;
The silent moon shone high DER tower and
tree:
The chilly frost, beneath the silver beam,
Crept, gently crusting, DER the glittering
stream"
l made inquiry for the dungeon clock;
but it has been removed. Simpsons
public house-is still to be seen. Wallace
Tower has been rebuilt; but the clock
remains.
l next visited the hotel where Tam
O'Shanter and Souter Johnnie held their
midnight revels, and from which hotel or
tavern Tam O'Shanter started for his home
on that eventful night when he saw the
witches in Kirk Alloway. What fearful
night it must have been! The lightning
flashed, the wind howled and blew as
though it would blow its last. 1t was one
Of those quick storms which come up in
Scotland without moments warning, and
as quickly disappear. Kirk Alloway is
about three miles from Ayr, and is a roof
less ruined church. Twas surprised to find
the ruin so small. A wall divides the
church in two equal parts. The western
part contains the tombs of the Cathcarts;
while the eastern part is that portion
where Tam O'Shanter beheld the witches
dance. Tam saw them through small
window, which is now closed up. In the
east window, which by the way resembles
the large window in the Elkton Presby-
terrain Church, though much smaller, and
which he termed
GA winnock- bunker in the east,
There sat auld Nick in shape O. beast"
The bridge which crosses the Doom is
about ahalf mile from Kirk Alloway;
and here poor Meg lost her Gain grey trail"
The bridge is quite steep and the way to it
is by no means straight, and l would pre-
sumo it was very crooked on the night of
Tam O'Shanters ride. The hotel from
which Tam O'Shanter rode on that night
is low, thatched-roofed building. They
held their drinking meetings in an upper
room. The identical mug and chairs and
tables are shown to visitors, and they pro-
TESS to sell the same kinds of ale that Tam
OShanter and Souter Johnnie drank.
Near by is a monument erected to the
memory of Robert Burns, but his body is
buried at Dumfries. Highland Mary is
buried at Greenock. l saw, however,
Montgomere Castle, where the poet used
to visit her and where he met her for the
last time. Jean Armour, whom Burns
married, is spoken of as a lady Of refine
ment and culture; kind hearted and faith
full.
Burns Cottage, where he was born, is
really three cottages; in the middle cottage
he was born. An inscription on the door