Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-09-15
THE BLUE.EYED LASSIE.
A "Reminiscences OF Two of Robert Burns


In the course of his perambulations he
was occasionally welcome visitor at the
hospitable manse of the Rev. Mr.. Jeffrey, the
worthy minister of the parish of Lockmar-
ben. One of the daughters of this good man,
named Jean, happened to do the honors of
the tea table upon the poets first visit.
JEANNE was just II, of sweet, winning
manners, with waving golden tresses and
rosy cheeks; but above all, pair of laugh
ing blue eyes. Burns was charmed with her
altless manners, and particularly with her
g twa sweet een;' his susceptible heart was
fired with admiration for the daughter OF
his host.
The next morning at breakfast he pre-
scented her with the song which she little
dreamed was to give her Immortality. 1t
was the Song of the Blue eyed Lassie.
- The blue eyed lassie bloomed into
womanhood, and, captivating the heart of
James Renwick, a 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 a prominent
merchant of the highest responsibility.
Mrs. Renwick's house was favorite re-
sort of Washington Irving, who was firm
friend of her son James, afterward the emf
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 luxuriously
embowers that delightful abode. Procur-
ing the slip at Melrose Abby, she planted it
with her own hands, and often afterward
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 Burns's
delightful portrait 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 an account of his in
| terview, said the "twa sweet cen" which so
| fascinated the poet were still clear and full
of deep expression; that Nhe had great suav-
| ity of manners, and much good sense. She
| told him that she often looked back with q
| 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 I seen
Burns enter my fathers dwelling on a
| cold night after long ride over the moors.
On such occasions one of the family would
help to disencumber him of his
dreadnought and boots, while an
other brought him pair of
| slippers and made lin warm dish of tea.
1t was during these visits that he made him
self perfectly happy, ond opened his whole
soul to us; repeated and often sang many of
his admirable songs, and enchanted ali
present with his many luminous observa-
tons and his frankness of manner. l nev-
or could fancy that he ever had followed
the rustic. occupation of the pillow, because
everything he said or did had gracefulness
and charm that were in an extraordinary de-
gree engaging"
None of Mrs. Renwicks children, of whom
the late Commodore Wilkes married a
daughter, survived her.
After her decease, brief memoir, print
ed privately for her family and friends, spoke
of her at the age of " as adjoining q higt
social position with ali those sweet and cap.
tivating amenities of manner which had ii
her youth, joined to great personal attrac,
tons, rendered her one of the most fasci
mating maidens of Annandale."