The morning call., 1890-08-17

q
Far pleasanter associations and memories
than those OF Brow Well cluster about the
\ upper NithSdale region. Here, not two
miles from Dumfries. is that lovely ivy
| grown ruin, Lincluden Abbey, at the con-
| Huence OF Cluden water anu the NTH. just
| beyond, 10 the east, is DalSwlntOn Hall,
where lived the generous and ingenious
| Patrick Miller, n0toble not only for his
| connection with the earliest experiments in
| steam navigation but as the big-hearted
owner OF Ellsland. the farm Burns took
| when fresh from his laurels at Edinburgh.
| This little bit OF farm, now comprising 1875
acres of land, lies to the west OF the
| Nth, upon its very banks. about five
miles north Of DumfIieS; and it is here
| that Burns, after building the cottage which
! TO this day stands embedded in roses
| ami ivy brought his bonnie Jean to live
! with her the only happy days he ever knew.
l never saw quite so sOngful and idyllic a
| spot-songful in every field and copse bird
that border Scotland knows, and wonder
! fully Songful in the waters of the NTH,
| which, between banks white with daisies,
| bordered closer down with yellow broom,
! spreads wide across cleaning shadows, as if
| its mission here was to sing endless and ten
| der melodies in honor OF the spot where the
| inspired plOwman sang In his clearest
| purest, grandest strains. For here in this
| farmhouse were produced, among scores of
lesser poems, Tam o ShanEeT, written in
day, and den0minated by Alexander SIXTH
- Since Bruce fought BanpOck burn, the best
single days work done in Scotland"
HIS MAGNIFICENT BATTLE PIECE,
The Song of DEATH" his wonderful
satire, " The Kinks Alarm" his match
less embodiment Of eqngq6ial affection.
Wsstlin Winds" his Address to the
Nith," ON Seeing a Wounded Hare"
that grand " Address to the Shade of
Thomson" OF a the Arts the Winds
Can Blaw," and that divinest. of all his
odes. s. To My Mary in Heaven"
Getting to this Ellisland farm brought
me, in a singular and tortut0us way,
within the radius of certain associations
few have had the good fortune to enjoy.
As they link the living with thrilling
closeness aud emphasis to the dead, a brief
account of this unusual experience will
have interest to all lovers of Burns in
America. AT late hour of q recent even
ing l was standing near the noble statue of
Burns, erected in 1877, in Church place,
DumfrieS. The only other occupant OF
Church place at that time was a venerable
Scotchnan who, standing in the shadows of
the Greyfriars' Church, seemed though in
merely an idle curiosity on his part as in
tently regarding me as l had been studying
the statue. l finally made bold to approach
him with 4 request for Information regard
ing the road l should take to Ellisland, at
the same time expressing my intention of
visiting it on the morrow. The chance
meeting was a pleasant one; and on dis
COfcIlbS ItldL lHC MI HOildS
Brown of QueenSbury street, was quite at
leisure for the next day, | invited him to
join me on the excursion, to which he
heartily aeceded, and the day was
glorious one on account of his intelligent
company for his perfect familiarity with de-
tails OF the life and experiences of the poet,
at which 1 then wondered, though attTib-
uting the same TO the universal treasuring
of Burns-l0re by the people of Nithsdale,
was source OF the greatest delight. The
I M mir re- I q
zion to visit my new-fOund friends family
on the same evening of the Ellisland jour
ney. On presenting myself at his door, l
was admitted by young lady whose face
and presence startled me as completely as
though Robert Burns had himself greeted
me at the threshold of that welcoming hab-
itation. There stood a fair young woman,
in whose face was repeated every llneament
| of the poets. Her hair was raven black;
her br0wS were broad and high; the eyes
| like flaming 0rbs; the nose perfectly CHS
eled; the mouth large, imprisoned, tender,
| and the chin full, rounded and dimpled. 1t
was indeed Burns face, chastened and soft
ened by the pure soul of woman looking
through il.
Completely overcome by the extraordi-
naiy likeness and situation, could scarcely
use my tongue, but at lastfaltered:
Isis this the residence of MIR. Thomas
Brown, with whom an American gentleman
has an engagement for the EVENING"
at isl; the young lady smilingly an
swered. Father and mother are expecting
you"
'.And you are ?"-
Their daughter, Jean Armour Burns
| Brownw
1t was to the home of
THE GRANDDAUGHTER
And Observation-Disclosures Of Robert Burns
l had come. The CHEEKY, handsome. white
| haired hostess Of the evening, Mrs. Thomas
| Brown, lady 90 years OF age. who sang
80 tF,san frfc h. ind hIar
with extreme pathos aud feeling, is the sur
| viving daughter of Robert Burns Jr., the
| poets oldest son, who died here in Dunn
! tries in 1857. at the age Of 20 years. His
early education was chiefly the charge OF
| Burns himself, and with him, hand In hand,
he wandered again and again in every loved
| haunt of Nithsdae from Criffel on the Sol
way to Friars Carse, above Elisland. A
| page of this paper could be delightfully."-
filled with the experiences of that evening
| and of later hours, in this plain and
| pleasant home-in itself a museum and
| shrine Of Burns memorial, relic and senti.
| ment. But aside from these ana the mar
| yel0us reproduction Of figure, face and
radiant speech of eyes and look of the poet
in his great-granddaughter, Jean Armour
| Burns Brown, two things came to me, with
| conviction which cannot be shaken, and
! which | would set down to remain, with
| earnest and solemn emphasis.
The first is, that Robert Burns Jf. was
man of extraordinary intellect attalnments
and character. He was an attache Of the
| British Stamp Office, in London, for thirty
years, during which period. and to the day
| of his death, as have evidence, he was one
of the prnfOundest thinkers and scholars of
| his time A no more learned scholar lived
| and CARLYLE himself was not his superior in
depth of philosophical research. United
with these were qualities of heart and char
acter which we're grandly pure and sweet;
while hidden and restrained by loyalty to
| n oft 6ISpaFn