Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-09-15
+" ANNIE LAURIE"
The History Of that Famous Old Som


The History of that Famous Old Song.
The song of "Annie Laurie was
written by William Douglass, of Fling
land, in the stewardy of Kirkcudbright,
hero of the song "Willie was Wanton
Wag." Annie Laurie was the eldest
of the three daughters of Sir Robert
Laurie, of Maxwellton. Her birth is
thus recorded by her father in the family
register: cat the pleasure of the AL
mighty God, my daughter, Annie Laurie,
was born on the 18th day of December,
1852, years, about six o'clock in the
morning, and was baptized by Mr..
Geo" Hunter of Glencairn) From the
curious collections of manuscript left by
Mr.. w. F. III. Arundel, of Barjarg,
Tower Dumfriesshire, we learn that
Annie was woed by Douglass, and that
she refused him.. He then made run
away match with a Miss Elizabeth
Clark, of Glenborg, in Galloway. In
1909 Annie married James Fergussun of
Craigdarrock, and was the mother of
Alexander Fergussun, the hero of Burns
songs, "The Whistle" I think that
James Grant in his novel, "Walter
Fenton or, the Scottish Cavalier" gives
full account of the composition Of
"Annie Laurie"
The early version of the song is as fol-
lows:
Maxwilton banks are bonnie
Where early fas the dew;
Where me and Annie Laurie
Made up the promise true;
Made up the promise true,
And never forget will /;
And for bonnie Annie Laurie - 1854.
I'll lay me down and die.
She's backit like the peacock:
She's brestt like the swan;
She's jump about the middle;
Her waist We weel intent span;
Her waist We weel intent span.
And she has o rolling eye;
And for bonnie Annie Laurie
I'll lay me down and die.
The most touching story connected
with the song is that told in Bayard
Taylor's "Crimean Incident:
They lay along the battery's side,
Below the smoking cannon.
Brave hearts from Severn and from Clyde,
And from the banks Of Shannon.
And there, in sight of the Redan and
the Malakoff, with to-morrow's battle
coming, some one called for a song, and
They sang of love and not of fame,
Forgot was Britain's glory,
Each heart recalled a different name,
But all sang Annie Laurie.
Dear girl, her name he dared not speak,
But as the song grew louder,
Something upon the soldiers cheek
Washed Oft the stain Of powder,
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Annie Laurie married James Fergu-
son, the hero of Burns song, "The
Whistle" In the train of Annie of Den
mark, when she came to Scotland, with
our James the Sixth, there came over
also a Danish gentleman of gigantic
stature and great prowess and match
less champion or Bacchus. He had
little ebony whistle, which, at the COM
mencement of the orgies he laid on the
table, and whoever was last able to blow
it, every body else being disabled by the
potency of the bottle, was to carry off
the whistle as a trophy of victory. The
Dane produced credentials of his
victories, without single defeat, at the
courts of Copenhagen, Stockholm, Mos
COW, Warsaw, and several of the petty
courts in Germany, and challenged the
Bacchanalians to the alternative Of try
ing his prowess or else of acknowledge
ing his inferiority. After many over
throws on the part of the Scots, the
Dane was encountered by Sir Robert
Lowrie, of Maxwelton, ancestor to the
present worthy baronet of that name,
who, after three days and three nights
hard contest, left the Scandinavian un-
der the table.
And blew on the whistle his requiem shrill.
Sir Walter, son to Sir Robert, before
mentioned, afterward loaned the whistle
to Walter Riddel, of Glenriddef, who had
married sister of Sir Walters. On
Friday, the 10Th of October, 1870, at
Frairs Carse, the whistle was once more
contended for, as related in the ballad,
by the present Sir Robert Lawrence,
Maxwelton, Robert Riddel Esq, of
Glenliddel, hneal descendant and repre-
sentative of Walter Riddel, who won the
whistle, and in whose family it had con-
tinued; and Alexander Ferguson, ESQ.,,
of Craigdarroch, likewise descended of
Sir Robert, which last gentleman carried
off the hard-won honors of the field