The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-14
In BLLISLAND,
THE HOME OF BURNS
4 Spot in Scotland That Is Visited Only
BY a Few Americans.
Graphic Description Of the Bard's Farm and
It's surroundings-Th Only Spot Where
Comfort and Happiness Was His.
Special TO THE SUNDAY CALL

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-girdiEg
human love and magnanimitY to the fade
less immortality Of his memory and name, I
have always felt that the one among them
all which most breathes to the beholder the
spirit Of ineffabIe pathos and tenderness,
was this. the bards farmhOme of Ellisland,
Although thousands Of Americans each
year visit the mausoieum of Burns at Dunn
fries. it is surprising that so few come here
10 Ellslsnd Not 100 have come with
in the past FIVE years. Entirely aside from
the interest associative with Burns, it is al
together one Of the most charming half
days excursions in Britain. BY foot, on
your bicycle. or by carriage, it is bat five en-
trancing miles and back again, chiefly along
the banks Of the river NTH which after
passing beneath the S00-years-Old bridge OF
DevcrgiIla, at Dumfres. broadens and soon
merges with the majestic tide of the SOlway.
Nithsdale itself is one of the most beautiful
of ali the Scottish lowland valleys, and
along the entire way from Dumfries to Ellis
land. its loYeliest views are seen.
Leaving the quaint old city Of Dumfries
you cross the new brig 'stO the west and
are at once in the pretty braeside hamlet Of
MaXWelt0Wn, famous wherever heart-S0ngs
are sung for that one inexpTeSsibly ten
der ballad, equal 10 any that Burns himself
gave the world. matchlesS Annie Laurie"
Then the highWay-the ancient coach road
between DumtTIes and GlaSgOW-WIndS
over brae and Hill, through dale and dIngle,
over beck and burn, through shadOwy ave-
nueS and patches OF sunshine, past de-
serted clachans and now silent Olden inns
Of-cal. with the songs Of streams and birds
IN q l.
lislaud Once past the outlying habita-
ti0nS LOT MaXwelltOWn, you VIII see down
there 10 the right the picturesque ruins OF
LiDcluden Abbey, int few moments
walk from the highway. Beneath the
shadows of its majestic walls lies Margaret,
daughter OF Robert III, King OF Scotland.
If You viii wander a little distance On that
road leading to the left you VIII come 10 the
ancient church of IrOngTay Here Is the
grave Of Sir Walter SCOTS Jennie Deans
tIIel-n Walker and the inscription on the
table tombstone was written by the author
of NV aveTly' himself. This picturesque old
bridge at which you tarry-fOT there Is
pretty scene of sheep washing gong on
beneath the giant willows, just above
crosses the river Cluden. a small stream but
q tuueful one. II bounds along meTrily
through cOpse and between emerald haughs
below. sweeps around the ancient abbey
walls, and. entering the Nth, bT0adens into
a deep pool or linn Hence lnn-Cluden,
'the Cluden pool" and the name of the
grand old monastic pile, LinclUden Abbey,
which towers ct its edge above.
To ELLISLAND.
Thus all the winSome way to Eilisland are
found pastoral, historic and romantic scenes
aud objects. You finally come to a bit of
almost champaign country. Comfortable
sleadlDeS with snug stone cottages lie on
either side of the highway. To the right is
an ancient gate opening to long lane,
hedge-bOrdered, between Well-kept fields,
where the young grain is already rich and
green. The wag0uway is thick with the
falling blossoms of the hawthorn. The
hedge-banks are mass OF gladsOme daisies.
A tiny burn, having its source IN springs
above. wimples al one side half-hidden In
the grass and daisies. And at the end of
this lane, just over the ridge of warm and
yellow loan, are seen the low roofs OF
cottage and its humble Outbuldings here
ana there half hidden in the foliage Of sur
rounding trees This is Elhsaud. for four
years the farm-hOme and hOMe-h heaven Of
Robert Burnside only spot on all this
earth here comfort and happiness were his
From the highway EiliSland IS disaD-
pointing The ridge Of the stealing fields
forms mon0t0nOus horizon line But
Burns knew where to build his NIthSlde
nest. From any point in the vicinity OF
the onstead or farm buildings there IS
glorious view Of the valley OF the NTH.
Almost the entire course Of the river Is
trdceable. Coming from its crystal cradle
among the mountains OF Eastern Ayrshire,
ii tumbles along in a SOuthwesteTly course,
watering the TOYal burgh of SanQular and
the ducal village Of Ihornhili, thence pass
ing the stupeDd0uS mass Drumlanrg Castle
where Scott was a guest when the first
intelligence and agony OF his financial ruin
came upon him At Auldgirth Bridge the
mountains press tie stream closely. Then
the river brcddens aud sweeps in gentle
siuu0sities through the widest eXDanse Of
the valley, past EIiSland and on to Dunn
fries and the sea, heightened in its exquisite
beauty By myriads Of tiny burns, hraeS ana
lesser daleS, which soften the outlines OF the
9 eater dale until its whole fair face bTeathes
Of sweetness and cepOSe.
The house faces TO tho east and north
gentle bend in the NTH, which muTmuTS
here over the shining shadows, not hun
0rpd yards distant. With the outbuildings
and their connecting Tubble walls a sunny,
nearly iaclOsed quadrangle is formed. The
side next the distant highway, 10 the west,
mas to the right, az you enter the inclOSure,
a stable and Gow-house and byTe, or
feeding and styaW-yard behind. To the left
Is a mil-shed, a modern structure, a tiny
barn, and behind the latteT-whiCh, with
the stable and COw-hOuSe, stand precisely as
Burns built them-is the inclOSed stack
ward where bonnie Jean found her husband
iu THAI great agony Of detection when gave
the world the natchless hymn TO Mary in
Heaven"
BURNS HOUSE
The house itself into the construction of
which the poet put months of his own labor
working alongside the rustic stOne-masO nS
Of the time, remains 70 this day exactly as
lie built it. a small kitchen has been
added on the side next the river, which now
as tben is the front of the house. The por-
ton built by Burns is of rubble. about %
feet long and nearly 30 tn width. 1t is one
story in height, With an ample attic, There
is a large room about Is feet square at each
end The entrance from the NTH side was
into q hallway, from "a hIch these two large
rooms we're reached. Out OF this, one could
also pass t0 the attic above, and to a small
kitchen, which, with little bedroom.
stand between the two larger rooms. OF the
latter the one at the left or north end,
watch communicates with the little
bedroom, was used by Burns for
tie ceremOniGus entertainment OF dis
tinguished guests. The other, at the south
end, was the real heart of the home; the
spence or living room Of the poet, his
wife and BARNS. The family provisions
were kept here. In one end stood the bed.
The meals were eaten here. And here the
companions that Burns loved came into the
ingleuO0k glow. Beside the fireplace is
broad, low window. Against the side wall
stood an Oaken table, and there the poet in
tins sunny corner could feast his eyes upon
the flowers and vines Of his own little gar
den, let them dwell fOndly upon his cattle
and pet sheep in the billowy held beyond, OF
conjure glorious faHcies from the noble
sweeps Of NIthsdale's broad southern ex-
panSe, crowded at It's eastern edge with
noble forests and the huge gables OF
Daswinton Hail. BY this little window
Burns either composed or put into completed
manuscript form the greatest amount of the
greatest work Of his life. bow we prize the
least reminder Of these royal fellows when
they are gone! There are those who would
pay $1,000 each for two Of the tiny panes in
thst one sunny window. On one Burns
wrote with q diamond and afterward par
TALLY erased, Home he had not-home is
the resort ." on the other he Inscribed his
faYurite maxim, An honest mans the
MODEST work Of God" These inscriptions,
the house and outbuildings, aud few sturdy