The Worthington advance., 1881-09-15
THE BLlJE.EYED LASSIE.
- $50. - b----''f',. " = ! -,
A ReininiscehcoI or Two Of Robert Buras


In the c6urse 81 his perambulations he
was occasionally = welcome yisit8r at the
hospitable manse Of the Rev. Mr.. Jeffrev. the
worthy minister OF tho parish Of Lockmar-
ben. One Of the daughters of this good man,
named Jean, happened to do the donors Of
the tea-table upon the poets first visit.
JEANNE was just IL, Of sweet, winning
manners, with waving golden tresses and
rosy cheeks; but above ali, pair Of laugh
ing blue eyes: Burns was charmed with her
altless manners, and particularly with her
= twa sweet een;' his susceptible heart was
fired with admiration for the daughter OF
his host:
The next morning at breakfast he pre-
sented her with the song which she 1ittlo
dreamed was to give her Immortality. It
was the Song of the Blue eyed Lassie." i
= The blue eyed lassie bloomed into
womanhood, and, captivating the heart Of
James Renwick, young merchant from
New York, who Glanced to be in Scotland
upon business, she married him and soon
removed from this old manse at Lockmar-
ben to take up her residence in that city,
where her husband became q prominent
merchant Of the highest respectability.
Mrs. Renwick's house vas o favorite re-
friend OF het son James, afterward the emi-
nent professor Of chemistry in Columbia
college, and author Of SOME scientific and
biographical works.
When Irving built his beautiful residence
at Sunnyside he was indebted to Mrs. Rem
wick for the ivy which now SO ltixuriously
embowers that delightful abode. Prociir-
ing the slip at Melrose Abby, she planted it
with her own hands, and often aftetward
had the pleasure of seeing it beautify the
home of one of the most charming authors
which America has procured.
Mrs. Renwick retained much of Bdrns's
delightful por.rait of her, even to her ma
turer years. George Thompson, son OF the
publisher Of the music and song of "The
Blue eyed Lassie," who visited her in 1922,
and wrote his father On account Of his in
terview, said the "twa sweet cen" which so
fascinated the poet were still clear and full
Of deep expression; that she had great snav-
ity Of lnaaners, and much good sense. She
told him that she often looked back with a
pleasant memory to the many evenings
spent in the company of the great bard in
the social circle Of her fathers fireside,
listening to the brilliant sallies of CONVEX
sation:
Many time said she, have seen
O~AAo 0AA~0A NY A0SA0A . u"CAu0k W u
cold night after long ride over the moors.
On such occasions one Of the family would
help 10 disencumber him Of his
dreadnought and boots, while an-
other brought him pair of
slippers and made lin q warm dish of tea.
1t was during these visits that he made HIM
self perfectly happy, md opened his whole
soul to MS; repeated and often sang many of
his admirable songs, and enchanted all
present with his many luminous observa-
tions and his frankness Of manner new
er could fancy that he ever had followed
the rustic occupation of the plow. because
everything he said or did had gracefulness
and charm that were in an extraordinary de-
gree engaging"
None of Mrs. Renwick's children, of whom
the late Commodore Wilkes married q
daughter, survived her.
After her decease, brief memoir, print
edpriyately for her family and friends, spoke
Of her at the age OF II "as adorninq high
social position with all those sweet and cap
tivating amenities of manner which had in
her youth, joined to great personal attrac-
tions, rendered her one of the most fasci-
mating nlaidens of Annandale."