Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-03

Creech, his Edinburg publisher, the
then astonishing sum OF 81, 500 was found
TO be at his disposal.
Then came the brief, bright days.
Maguanimously generous always, much
of this sum, the first and las. good for
tune Burns ever knew, went to jeans
parents, and to assist his brother Gilbert
Burns in averting disaster in the latter ,:
farm life efforts. His lucky meeting
with the ingenious and kindly Patrick
Miller of Dalswinton Hall, had occurred
1t had been settled that the poet, who
hated the city with royal hatred
should return to the plough. The no
bility of the day never quite forgave this
plebean longing and love, the source OF
his grandest Inspirations. The beautiful
farm of Ellisland, five miles above
Dumfries, was taken at a rental of ESQ
per year. Burns, unaided, began his
farm labors the first Monday after Whit
Sunday in 1888. He toiled manfully
until the autumn of that year, mean
time singing many q IustY song to his
absent wife. tearing down the wretched
hoy he found, and building the lovely
cottage which stands there
EMPOWERED IN ROSES.
simple but glorious home coming W hen :,
with rustic rites, and his bonnie Jean
upon his arm, "preceded by a peasant
girl carrying the family bible and 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 tritle over two years,
between Whitsunday 1888 and Martin
mas, in 1871 Burns and his good Jean
experienced an Eden of labor and love,
despite their final enforced departure.
1t was also the period Of Burns best and
greatest poetical fecundity. But more
children came to them. These must be sup
ported. Crops failed and inevitable ruin
was approaching. 1t was then, with no.
where else on earth to turu, with no one
on earth to defend him from the wretched
influences of such environment, that to
save his wife and children from actual
want and starvation, he was forced to
accept the government position of ex-
ciseman Mt the beggarly pittance
of ESQ per yeari And
L say that that person who will become
critic of this poor striving
soul, from this pitiful period, takes to
himself share of the endless obloquoy of
the derelicts of that day and time who
UNANIMOUSLY deserted God-sent genius in
the hour of his sorest plight and highest
efforts to noble manhood. The five
remaining years of his life, after the
poet, his Jean and their three children,
Robert, Francis Wallace and William
Nicol, removed to the humble lodgings,
their first home in Dumfrles, checkered,
sad, pathetic beyond comprehension, are
known to all. The literary ghoul may
come here and shovel from the dust of q
pitiful epoch the dross of sad doings and
hours. Whoever comes with reason,
heart and the least of sympathy and
charity will still find glowing here the
lingering battle-fres between temptation
inexpressible and effort incredible; be-
tween weakness and encouragement
and love and loyalty inef-
fable. For myself, l prefer to stand at
the shrine of Burns and look down along
the burning shaft of light that links his
genius and his world-girdling human
love and magnanlmity to the fadeless
of his memory and name.
One of the places in Dumfries most in
teresting from its association with Burns
is the old Globe tavern. 1t is still called
"the howl (hoif, hoff, hufe, houff),
Scottish for hall, house of retreat or
haunt. 1t is certainly the most noted of
all the 'fhowfs, or haunts, made IA
nous by the frequent prese ce and loiter-
ings of Coila's unfortunate bard. The
structure stands on High street, but it is
entered now, as in Burns day, from a
narrow "close' or alley, which extends
past the old stone stables of the inn into
street, which in turn, leads
to the right into the present Burns, for
merly Mills, street, to the Burns cottage;
and it was through this little "close"
Burns always made his way home from
his too FREQUENT bouts with
JOHN BARLEYCoRN,
at the Globe tavern. The venerable Inn
Is crowded on market days with farmers,
and the old stables are packed with
horses, traps and carts, precisely as it
was 100 years ago. A solemn Scotch
dame, recalling Mrs. Hyslop, the land
lady of Burns time, named Smith, is
the owner of the property, which, while
,he still vigorously presides over the pro-
prieties or the place, she rents to her
at f32 per year. Entering
the shadowy old "howl' you pass
through tiny public room whore now as
then dozen or more gawk-eyed rustics
are drinking while discussing country
sue gossip. FROM Lnis room UOOr, so
ow you will need minding your head |
gear in passing, leads to the little par
or, which was the real haunt of Burns |
n Dumfries. OF the more than 100 |
longs composed by Burns in Dumfrfes- |
which, had they comprised the limit of |
lis production would have still given him |
'ank as Scotland IS greatest lyric bard |
~ far the larger number were produced |
n this little parlor, or in the chamber |
Ibove. Next the fireplace of the former |
vas BURNS Corner The verItable |
chair in which he sat, preserved from |
he attacks of relic hunters by cupboard, |
ock and key, is still here. Several |
'ther CHAIRS, table, and even many |
AIDED pictures upon the low walls, are
ust as he knew them. The window
,anes are covered with verses he
cratched upon them with his diamond.
If these perhaps the following three are
most famous:
80 lovely Polly Stuart