Morning journal and courier., 1891-06-13
mR. wAKEMAN,s JOURNEY1NGs.

uoEfcB huu bot acE JoWouco tuIO1t tnHOb-
bing with the terror of such a meeting.
HILARY.
MIR. wAKEMAN,s JOURNKYINGs.
At Ellisland, scotland-RobertB Burns,
Farm Home-The Mausoleum OF
Burns at Dumnrfes.
ELL1sLAND, Scotland, June 3.
To the Editor Of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
Pilgriming among the countless shrines
created by the living presence of Robert
Burns in southwestern Scotland, and look
ing down along the flaming shaft of light
that links his genius and his world-gird-
ing human love and magnaminity to the
fadeless immortality of his memory and
name, I have always felt that the one
the beholder the spirit of ineffsble pathos
and tenderness, was this, the bard's farm
home of Ellisland. o.. $3.50
In the period between May, 1855, at the
age of twenty years, and the end of
the year 1871, when he came from this FL
lisland farm to the three rooms in the
"Wee Vennel," in Dumfries, q period of
but four and one-hah years, moro person
al hope and disappointment, joy and suf-
fering, anguish from impulsiye wrong
doing and heaven of the purest domestic
bliss, temptation and victory, agonized de-
spair 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 unreasoning opposition of
her father. He was then betrothed to
Highland Mary" Campbell, the heroine
of his immortal ode, "To Mary in Heav-
en-" who shortly died of malignant fever
at Greenock.
About one hundred of his most charac-
teristic 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 a man of rare char
acter and worth, survived the poet fifty
eight years, his decease occurring at Dunn
fries in 1857, and his body being inferred
in the Burns mausoleum in that city.
Burns local fame having attracted the at
tention of the literary ooterie at Edin-
burgh, he was invited to that city where
he was affiliated" at the famous lodge of
Freemasons (which stilLmeets in the veri-
table room then used) and subsequently,
''inaugarated" as its poet laureate, the lat
ter event being the subject of a celebrated
painting; while he was made the literary
lion of the day, as new and enlarged edi-
tions of his poems appeared. He then
made a 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 reperted her
renunciation, and with whom the former
intimacy was renewed. The tour of the
north was then made. Burns returned to
| greater Edinburgh literary triumphs- He
| was introduced to Mrs. Maclehose, the
| 'tClarinda" of his famous correspondence
and again returning to his beloved Jean
took her secretly to Tarbolton Mill, where
| twins, both of which died, were again
born to them. Being now independent Of
scandalous opposition, Burns publicly and
proudly acknowledged" Jean Armour as
his wife, then as sacred and binding g
marriage in Scotland as any other, and, in
this instance, necessary only because de-
barred formal marriage by the wife's pa
rents, who thus were solely responsible fol-
the cloud upon the poets marital record.
Burns also ''satisfied" the church, which
in those days was not so very difficult OF
"satisfaction." He was also in a position
to 'ssatisfy" Jeans parents; for on settle
ment with Creech, his Edinburgh publish
er, the then astounding sum of twenty
five hundred dollars was found to be a
his disposal.
Then came the brief, bright days. Mag
unanimously generous always, much of thii
sum, the first and last good fortune Burn
ever knew, went to Jeans parents, and t.
assist his BROTHER Gilbert Burns in avert
ing disaster in the latter's farm-life efforts
His lucky meeting with the ingenious ant
and kindly Patrick Miller of Dalswintol
Hall had occurred 1t had been settleC
that the poet, who hated the city with
royal hatred, should return to the plough
The nobility of the day never quite for
gave this plebian longing and love, tn
source of his grandest inspirations. Thi
beautiful farm of Ellisland, five mile
above Dumfries, was taken at rental c
fifty pounds per year. Burns unaided be
gan his farm-labors the first Monday afte
, Whitsunday, 17SS. He toiled manfull
until the autumn of that year, meantim
+ singing many a lusty song to his abser
t wife, and built the lovely cottage whic
stands here embowered in roses to tn
, day. And then was celebrated the simp
but glorious homecoming, when, wit
f rustic rites, and his bonnie lean upon b
4 arm, "preceded by peasantgirl carryir
a the family Bible and bowl of SALT"
q marched proudly into his little hom
a heaven beside the winding NTH. all ey
!. dences agree that in the brief period of
, trifle over two years, between Whitsul
: day, 1888, and Martinmas, 1871, Burr
, and his good Jean experienced an Eden
t labor and love, despite their final enforc'
/ departure. 1t was also the period
Burns best and greatest poetic fecundit
But more children came to them. The
must be supported. The crops failed al
inevitable ruin was approaching. 1t W
then, with nowhere else on earth to tur
with no one on earth to defend him fro
the wretched influences of such enyiro
ment, that to save his wife and childr'
from actual want, he was forced to acce
the government position of exciseman
the beggarly pittance of 6fty pounds p
yeari The five remaining years of his lii
. after the poet, his Jean and their thr
: children, Robert, Francis Wallace a
IL William Nicol, removed to the hunt
4 lodgings, their first home in Dumfri'
). checkered, sad, pathetic beyond comp
70 hension, are known to all.
le Although thousands of Americans ca
le year visit the mausoleum of Burns
,r Dumfries, it is surprising that SO few col
here to Ellisland. Not one hundred hs
10 come within the past five years. Entire
to aside from the interest associative wi
j. Burns, it is altogether one of the mC
ID charming half days excursions in Britai
IF By foot, on your bicycle, or by carriage,
rt is but five entrancing miles and back sgai
70 chiefly along the banks Of the river Mi
which after passing beneath the eight hu
ot dred years old bridge of Devorgilla,
al Dumfries, broadens and soon merges wi
le | the majestic tide of the Solway. Mil
IN dale itself is one of the most beautiful
y all the Scottish lowland valleys, and alo
% the entire way from Dumfries to Ellislar
os its loveliest views are seen.
Is Leaving the quaint old city of Dumfr
fe you cross the ttnew brig" to the west a
n are at once in the pretty brae-side ham
,e of Maxwelltown, famous wherever hea
re songs are sung for that one inexpressit
- ballad anr.1 - arr- {hof p,,r