Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-04
TIE BALMORAL CHOIR.
An Evening of Great Enjoyment for Scottish
Descendants of PIttsburg : Rare Old

That Pittsburg is one of the strongholds
Of Scottish feeling in America no one can
doubt who witnessed the great gathering in
Old City Hall last night
1t had gone forth that the Balmoral Choir
would sing "hantle of auld sangs frae Aud
Reekie," under the kindly auspices of the
WaVerleyi Society. Straightway every Scot
worthy OF the name within the walls Of the Twin
Cities donned his best garb and brought his
dear ones to the trysting place, resolved to
hear once more the stirring airs which cast a
glamour over his infancy. The spacious hall
was crowded from door to stage with eager
listeners, and Joyous voices in the Draw LalIan
tongue-aye, and few in the Erse tongue also
rang merrily out, with quaint anticipations Of
the pleasure to come.
1t was touching to behold one aged lady, who
had come all the way from East Liberty per-
haps. led up the aisle by her gray-halred son,
and installed in front seat "Ehr' she said
smilingly, "Eh, but I'd come further than that
to hear Aud Robin Gray once again" 1t
was amusing also to hear the old folks compar-
iIg notes.
AN whaur do We come fraer' "Frae Dunn
fries" AN what's your name, hinny?" "My
My grandmiIher was Ferguson o. Lockerbie." !"
Hear till her! Hear till herI Why, my auld
hume's at Lockerbiep' "An' tae think I've
lived a. these years in the toun. an ne'er knew
my avn kiDP' And so on, and 30 Non. The
Scotch tongue never loses its old Doric ring.
One old guidwife got of piece Of sarcasm
at the expense of five or six people, who occu-
pied seats high up in the chairs at the back OF
worthy husband of the old dame; who tossed
her head scornfully, and answered: "Oh. Just
folks that want toe be spiered about"
The artists taking part in the performance
were Misses Efie Goodwin, Edith Ross. Jessie
D. MacKinvosh. Mary Farrell, Jane K. Ford,
Messrs. Peter Kerr, w. Douglas, w, Young,
81. Taggart and r. ]. Patrick. Miss Ford was
also accompanist and Mr. Walter Bruce acted
M A. u,nIsr % Il 1fav %
the concert opened with The Star Spangled
Banner" which was, of course, loudly ap-
plauded. Then ''Scots Whae Hae," sung by
the whole choir, thrilled every heart with its
Warlike strains, and one doughty descendant Of
the Douglasses, a few seats from the writer.
looked as though he longed for claymore
or skene-dhu to prove his prowess. in
the cause Of Scotland. But the martial music
log Scotia filed the air. "Woes me for Prince
CharlieP' Woes me for the leal hearts who
fell at CullodenI Woes me for the flower of
the forest. who were a. weed awayl
Even in an audience mostly made up Of
Covenanters' kim as last nights audience un-
doubtedly was, the woful lament of the ex-
iled Stuart, was applauded to the echo. Mr..
Peter Kerr's tenor is tenore robusto, but it
was sweet and sympathetic, indeed, in
the lay of bonnie "Mary Of Argyle"
Mr.. Kerr was encored, and spite
of certain Kateran expeditions upon
Kerr cattle in the Lothians. in the old days,
Gregor's Gathering" The laughable strains
of Maggie Lander" and her dance to Piper
RaD's chaunters, were rendered by the
choir and then came the part song
American tour by Sir II: Oakeley.
Miss Efie Goodwin and Miss Edith Ross sang
"Ye Banks and Braes," with exquisite effect;
and the choir joined in setting the hall a-laugh-
ing over Green Grow the Rushes, ohP' The
coquettish manner in which the female voices
sang the last lines of the verses was irresistl-
BILE.
The descendant of the Douglases. above re-
ferred to had now changed his waflike for
more melting mood, and waxed poetic, over
Miss Ford's winsome face.
Miss Edith Ross powerful contralto voice
was next heard in "Auld Robin Gray" and
never was Lady Lindsay's tender lyric more
loudly applauded. flock o. Hazeldean" fol
lowed as an encore by Miss Ross; and
every pair of true lovers in the hall
Mr.. R. ]. Patrick made laughter run
riot among the listeners, when he told the
good old tale of the minister and his precentor,
Sandy Macdonald, in guide braid Scotch"
One wonders how many merry folks have
laughed over "The Foxes Tails" ever since
first it was written.
Burns willie Wastle' was the next feature;
and the wife that Willie had proved as gro
tesquely funny as ever.
The second part opened with the "March Of
the Cameron Men," and found the audience
all tramping. in imagination with Evan
kate 1eeR and Miss
Efie Goodwin (of whom the aforesaid Douglas
said that she was "a sweet soprano,") gave
ANGUS Macdonald" and Comm Thro' the
Rye" very charmingly. After the touching
why Left Ny Home" Mr.. W. Young. thun-
dered forth "Blue Bonnets over the Border" in
his grand bass.
Mr. Patrick was again side-splitting in
"Peter's Wooing," and "Susie Ye Jaud."
Many were at first sorry that the Laird of
Cockpen" was not sung. as advertised; but
when Miss Ross gave annie Laurie instead,
they were more than satisfied. There was
certain one in the hall who had left an Annie
Laurie-an Annie of Maxwellton, too-in far
off Dumfriesshire; and he felt very sad
Miss Ross sang "Caller Herrin'" as encore,
and was followed by Messrs. Kerr, Douglas and
Young in willie Brewed Peck o. MautP'
Although the three jolly good fellows, Rob,
Allan and Willie, strenuously pro-
tested that they were "No that fou." it
was only too apparent from their unsteady
gait, and TubicuDd visage. that they had
good deal more than 'just drappie in the eep'
The audience screamed with mirth, when the
three brightest hearts in Christendie, began
seeing the moon in six different directions at
once, at the same time chaunting
''We're no fou. re no fou,
But just drappie in our ee:
The cock may craw,-the day may daw,
But still we'Il taste the barley bree.'f
An insidious appeal was then made to the au-
dience in "Win Ye No Come Back Again. and
the performance ended with the singing in re-
And so closed pleasant night; a "braw
NIGHT" indeed for children, and foster children,
of the land of cakes: night that will be re-
membered around the hearths of many Scot
tish family exiled in the Iron City, for many a
long day.