Telegram-herald., 1890-08-03
SCOTLAND'S PRIDE
Scenes and "Reminiscences oi
Burns Land, IN Scotia.
The POETS LOVE FOR JEAN ARMOUR
sHighland MARY" campbsli-Her Brief
Welded Life and Early Death
The Braes and Barns OF KIreud
right-sWss tsnnelis."
Icepyrighssa Iao.l

copyrighted 1901
Special Correspondence rELEGRAH.HEEAED.
DCMFREs. Scotland. July l0.-Border
wars and border minstrelsy have giyen
tbe whole south Of Scotland heritage
of undying interest and enthrAllment.
Coming upon il with eyes looking out
OF the depths of history and sentiment,
every object in nature marshals q host
of armored spsctres from the crowded
cloister of a romantic and thrilling
past. But there IL another and an i'm
mortal presence here. As the hus-
bandry of peace heals the scars of
bloody battle, as the very flowers of
the field in precious compensation
thickest grow whore carnage and fury
leave their deepest stains, there came
70 this wralth-rank region a lustrous
soul so simple and rugged. sweet and
grand, tender and majestic, weak and
mighty, that, throughout the weird,
wild land IN which It blossomed, nature
seems to pause IN endless shine and
bloom. Out OF the stain and scar, out
OF intolerance and bigotry, out of
ignorance and serfdom. out of helotry
and hindship. came one rustic se.f
whose humble ploughshare turned be-
meath the furrow of his brief toll all
the hatred, superstition, intolerance, of
athousand warning years. One Scot
tish southland peaSant-yOice not only
fused into iliimitable tenderness all
Scotia stern and granite soul, bat gave
imperishabie songs 10 the universal
liuman heart.
10 all the people Of Scotland so dear
has the memory OF this man become,
that three of the southwestern shires OF
the kingdOm-Ayrshire in when the
peasant-pOet was born, klrkcudbrlght-
shire wnNre be wandered and sang, and
purnfricsshlre, where he lived, loved
sang and declare known only as
sBurns Land" However, winsome
are the memories of hrs early life be-
side the Doom. IN Ayr; however,
stamped by the wondrOus coinage Of
his genius, which ike some magic al
ehemy transformed all things Burns
touched. or named. or knew, 10 gold
the braes and burns of kirkcudbrght
may be; 10 my fancy fair Dumfries-
shire was the imperial palace OF his
world vide realm and this gray old town
Of Dumfries itself his very throne.
Here flows the whipping NTH, from It's
sources IN the Lead and Lovther
bills. down past the little farm Of Ellis
land. where with his faithful wife Jean
re wrought those brief and happiest
davs of MS lde. Here stall stands the
house on Bsnk-st.. formerly the Wee
Vennel." the three little upper rooms
Of which were his first 'scity" home.
The old tavern where rs registered aud
sang. Is Just as he left e Has last
earthly habitatiou was the same humble
cottage YOU now find aiougside the
Gagged school, IN Burns-st., known
as Mill-St. in the oblen days. And N
tae stately mausoieum beneath the
shadows OF ancient &c. MichsePs kirk,
surrounded By tha graves and mouu-
naeuts OF those who for eight hundred
years went before him INTO the Ininite
mystery, he lies asleep, true and loyal
Jean still near him. aud al their barns
beside them IN the wskeless rest.
You OF pllgrming here 20 the shrine
Of Burns vii first involuntarily recall
the principal incidents ia his career
prsvlcus 70 his Identification wlth the
ald border city OF Dumfries. This can
he best told, partially in the language
Of others. In the period between May,
11S6. &c The sGe 0f ~ years, and the end
~ the year i79f. when he came from
FInsland farm 60 the three'roouls IN the
eWec Ncnusi. Ira pumfrles. a period
81 bat four and one-half years, more
personsi hone ard di~ppOiutmeut, joy
All suffering. anguish from impuisivg
wronz doing ans heaven Of she Puresi
donesic bliss. temptation aud victory
SEQ srd despair and triumph, hsd
hsen crowded into the poets experI
eness thar fail TO the lot Of most great
men IA their entire lves. Tn this oriei
t7rls. first be wss dis0wned and desert
~ sv Jean Armour. through the bitter
and ever unreseoniRr opposition Of hel
father. TIE was then nstr0thed "a
81 ahiand Mary Caapbeil. the hero
s.e 81 Ais immortal osie. "T0 Mary In
rfeavcn. who shortly died Of mahg
ssnt fever st Csreenock. and evel
rrhase grave 10 the klrk-yard If ths
taf Or West Church. ID that eity 4
monument vas placed bearing the ia
scrption-
Frecfed
81