The morning call., 1890-08-03
over the grave Of
HIGHLAND MARY,
1910
My Mary. dear departed shade,
Where is thy Mace of blissful res


About 100 Of his most characteristic
poems were already written, and the now
priceless first edition of the same had been
issued from the rural press of Kilmarnock,
in the county of Dumbarton. Twin chill
dren had been born to him out of wedloek
byaJean Armour, one OF whom. Robert, in
after years man OF rare character
ana worth, survived the poet fifty
nine years, his decease occurring
ut Dumfries in 1851, and his body
being inferred in the Burns vault Mary
Campbell died and was buried at Greenock.
Burns local fame having attracted the at
tention Of the literary cotefie at Edinburgh,
he was invited to thai city where he was
" affiliated
AT THE FAMOUS LODGE
OF Freemasons (Which still meets in the
veritable room then used and suisse
qnehtly "inaugurated" as its poet laureate,
the latter event being the subject of a cele-
brated painting; while he was made the
literary lion of the day, as new and en-
Iarged editions OF his poems Appeared. He
then made tour of the border counties of
England and Scotland, and, untarnished by
fame, returned to .Mauchline, the old home
spot in Ayr, drawn there by his true love
for his Jean. who repented her renunci-
alton and with whom Che former init
macy was renewed. The tour of the
North was then made. Burns returned to
greater Ed inburgh literary trlumphs; he
was lllThuHCtu w MIS- I1dGit1OSCs AlC
''Clariuda" of his famous correspondence;
Rnd again returning to his beloved Jean,
took her secretly to TarbOtton Mill for con-
1nement there in disgrace, when twins,
both of which died, were again born to
them. Both now independent Of scandal
Gus opposition, Burns publicly and proudly
acknowledged" Jean Armour rs his wife,
then as sacred and binding a marriage in
Scotland as any other, and, in this instance,
necessary only because debarred formal
marriage at all times by the wife's parents,
who thus were solely responsible for the
cloud upon the poets marital record. Burns
also satisfied the church, which in those
days was not so very difficult Of ''satisfac-
ton" He was also in a position to sat
isfy" Jeans parents. for on settlement with
Creech, his Edinburgh publisher, the then
astounding sum Of $500 was found to be at
his disposal.
Then came the brief, bright days. Mag
unanimously generous always, much Of this
sum, the first and last good fortune Burns
eyer knew, went to Jeans parents and to
ayerting disaster in tile latter's farm-lfe
efforts. His lucky meeting with the in
genio0s and kindly Patrick Miller of Dal-
swinton Hall had occurred. 1t had been
settled that the poet, who hated the city
a with a royal hatred, should return to the
pillow. The nobility of the day never quite
fcrgave this pIebeian longing and love, the
source OF his grandest inspirations. The
beautiful farm of Ellisland, five miles
above Dumfries, was taken at rental
of ESQ a year. Burns unaided began
his farm labors the first Monday after
Wbitsunday, in 1888. he toiled manfully
until the autumn of that year, meantime
singing many lusty song to his absent
wife, tearing down the wretehed howell he
found, and building the lovely cottage
which stands there empowered in roses TO
this day, And then was celebrated the
simple but glorious homecoming, when,
with rustic rtes, and his bonnie Jean upon
his arm; preceded by pcasaut-girl carry
ing the family Bible aud bowl of salt, he
marched proudly into his little home-heaven
beside the winding NTH All evidences
agree that in the brief period of
A TRIPLE OVERTIME YEARS,
Between Whitsunday 1885, and Martinmas,
in 1871. Burns and his good Jean expert
eneed an Eden of labor and love, despite
their final enforced departure. 1t was also
the period Of Burns best and greatest poet
ical fecundity. But more children came to
them. These must be supported. The crops
failed, and inevitable ruin was approaching.
II was then, with nowhere else on earth to
turn, with no one on earth to defend him
from the wretched influences of such en-
Yironment, that, TO save his wife and
children from actual want and starvation,
he was forced to accept the government po-
sition of exciseman at the beggarly pittance
of ESQ per year! And l say that that person
who will become critic of this poor striving
soul, from this pitifni period takes to him
self share of the endless obloquy Of the de-
relicts of that day and time who UNANIMOUSLY
deserted God-sent genius in the hour of
his sorest plight and highest efforts to a
noble manhood. The five remaining years OF
his life, after the poet, his Jean and their
three children. Robert. Francis Wallace,