Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-14
BOBBY BURNS FARM.
The Spot Where the Most Joyous
Days Of His Life We're Spent.
HIS COTTAGE STILL STANDING.
Beautiful Bower in Which His Grandest
Poems Came to Him.
ALL ENDED IN FINANCIAL TROUBLE

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DIsPATCHI
ELLIsLAND, SCOTLAND, June 5.-Pil-
griming among the countless shrines created
by the living presence of Robert Burns in
Southwestern Scotland, and looking down
along the flaming shaft of light that links
his genius and his world-girdling human
love and magnanimity to the fadeless i'm
mortality of his memory and name, 1 have
always felt that the one among them all
which most breathes to the beholder the
spirit of ineffable pathos aud tenderness,
was this, the bards farm-home of Ellisland.
In the period between May, 1886, at the
age of q years, and the end of the year
1871, when he came from this Ellisland
farm to the three rooms in the "Wee
Vennel, in Dumfries, period of but four
and one half years, more personal hope and
disappointment, joy and suffering, anguish
from impulsive wrong-doing and heaven of
the purest domestic bliss, temptation and
victory, agonized despair and triumph,
were crowded into the poets experiences,
than fall to the lot of most great men in
their entire lives. In this brief time, first
he was disowned and deserted by Jean
Armour, through the bitter and ever un-
reasoning opposition of her father he was
then betrothed to "Highland Mary" Camp
bell, the heroine of his immortal ode; ''To
Mary in Heaven" who shortly died of
malignant fever at Greenock.
His Marriage to Jean Armour.
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 children had
been born to him out of wedlock by Jean
Armour, one of whom, Robert, in after
years man of rare character and worth,
survived the poet SO years, his decease oc-
curing at Dumfries in 1857, and his BODY
being inferred in the Burns mausoleum in
that city. Burns local fame having at
tracted the attention of the literary coterie
at Edinburgh, he was invited to that city
where he was affiliated at the famous
lodge of Freemasons (Which still meets in
the veritable room then used) and subse-
quently "inaugurated" as its poet laureate,
brated painting; while he was made the lit
erary hon of the day, as new and enlarged
editions of his poems appeared.
He then made tour of the border coun-
ties of England and Scotland, and, untar-
nished by fame, returned to Mauchline, the
old home spot in Ayr, drawn there by his
true love for his Jean, who repented her
remuneration, and with whom the former in
timacy was renewed. The tour of the North
was then made. Burns returned to greater
Edinburgh literary ,triumphs. He was in
troduced to Mrs. Maclehose, the ''Clarinda''
of his famous correspondence; and again re-
turning to his beloved Jean, took her Sc
cretly to Tarbolton Mill, where twins, both
of which died, were again born to them.
Being now independent of scandalous oppo-
sition, Burns publicly and proudly Sac
knowledged" Jean Armour as his wife,
then as sacred and binding a marriage in
Scotland as any other, and, in this instance,
necessary only because debarred former
marriage by the wife's parents, who thus
were solely responsible for the cloud upon
the poets marital record. Burns also 'fsat-
isfed'' the church, which in those DAYS was
not so difficult of satisfaction" He was
also in q position to satisfy" jeans par
.ents; for on settlement with Creeeh, his
Edinburgh publisher, the then astounding
sum of 81, 500 was found to be at his dis
posal ..-.-.
Burns on the Little Farm.
Then came the brief, bright days. Mag
unanimously generous always, much of this
sum, the first and last good fortune Burns
ever knew, went to jeans parents, and to
assist his brother, Gilbert Burns, in avert
ing disaster in the latter's 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 a royal
hatred, should return to the plow. The
nobility of the day never quite forgave this
plebeian longing and love, the source of his
grandest inspirations. This beautiful farm
of Ellisland, five miles above Dumfries,
was taken at rental of ESQ per year.
Burns unaided began his farm labors the
first Monday after Whitsunday, 1888. He
toiled manfully until the autumn of that
year, meantime singing many a lusty song
to his absent wife, and built the lovely cot
tage which stands here embowered in roses
to this day.
: And then was celebrated the simple but
glorious homecoming, when, with rustic
rites, and his bonnie Jean upon his arm,
preceded by peasant girl carrying the
family Bible and bowl of SALT he
marched proudly into his little home
heaven beside the winding NTH. All evil
dences agree that in the brief period of
trihe over two years, between Whitsundav,
1888, and Martinmas, 1871, Burns and his
good Jean experienced an Eden of labor
and love, despite their final enforced de-
parture. 1t was also the period of Burns
best and greatest poetic fecundity. But
more children came to them. These must
be supported. The crops failed, and in
evitable ruin was approaching.
Five Years of Touching Sadness.
It was then, with nowhere else on earth
10 turn, with no one OH earth to defend him
from the wretched influences of such en-
that to save his wife and chill
dren from actual want, he was forced to ac-
cept the Government position of exciseman
at the beggarly pittance of $50 per yearl
The five remaining years of his fife, after
the poet, his Jean and their three children,
Robert, Francis Wallace and William
Nicol, removed to their humble lodgings,
their first home in Dumfries, checkered,
sad, pathetic beyond comprehension, are
known to all.
Although thousands of Americans each
year visit the mausoleum of Burns at Dunn
fries, it is surprising that so few come here
to Ellisland Not 100 have come within !
the past five years. Entirely aside from |
the interest associative with Burns, it is |
altogether one of the most charming half |
days excursions in Britain. By foot, on |
your bicycle, or by carriage,'it is but five |
miles and back again, chiefly |
along the banks of the river NTH, which, |
after passing beneath the S0O-years' old |
bridge of Devorgilla, at Dumfries, broadens
md soon merges with the majestic tide of !
he Solway. Nithsdale itself is one of the |
most beautiful of all the Scottish lowland |
'alleys, and along the entire way from
)umfries to Ellisland its loveliest views
re seen.
Where Annie Laurie Was Written.