The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-06-13


one inexpressibly tender ballad, equal
to anyithRt Burns himself gave the
world, lnatchless Annie Laurie" Then
the highYay-the ancient coach road
between Dumfries and Glasgow--winds
over brae and hill, through dale aud
dinEle, over beck and burn, through
shadowy avenues and patches OF sun
shino, past deserted clachans and now
silent olden inns-of-call, with the
songs Of streams and birds ever in your
ears, all the distance TO Elllsland.
Once past the outlying habitations
OF Maxwelltown, you will see down
there to,the right the picturesque ruins
OF I.includen Abbey, but a few moments
walk from the highway. Beneath the
shadows Of the majestic walls lies Mar:
garet, daughter OF Robert ILL, King Of
scotland, II you will wander but lit
tie distance on that road leading to the
left, you will come to the ancient church
Of Ifongray. Here is the grave Of Sir
Walter SCOTS 'Jea ME Deans" Helen
Walker and the inscription on the ta-
BILE tombstone was written by the author
Of Wayerly himself. This picturesque
old bridge at which you tarry-for there
Is a pretty scene OF sheep-washing going
on beneath the giant willows, just above
--crosses the river Oluden, o small
stream but tuneful one. 1t bounds
along merily through copse and between
emerald ihaughs below, sweeps around
the ancient abbey walls, and, entering
the NTH, broadens into deep pool or
linn. Hence linn.C luden, "the Cluden
pool" and the name Of the grand old
monastic pile, Lincluden Abbey, which
towers at Its edge above.
ELLlsIAND.
Thus all the winsome way to Ellis.
land are found pastoral, historic and
romanticseene and objects. You finally
come to q bit OF almost champaign
country. Comfortable steadings with
snug stone cottages lie on either side Of
tho highway 10 the right Is an ancient
gate, opening to long lane. hedge Dor
dered, between well kept fields, where
the young grain Is already rich and
green. The wagon way is thick with
the falling blossoms ofPthe hawthorn.
The hedge banks arc q mass Of glad
some daisies. A tiny burn having Its
source In springs above wimples at one
side halthidden in the grass and daisies.
And at the end OF this lane, Just over
ridge otwarm and yellowy loan, are
seen the low roofs. of cottage and its
humble outbuildings, here and there
half hidden in the foliage OF surround
ing trees. This is Ellisland, for four
years the farm home and homo heaven
Of Robert Burns; the only spot on all
this earth where comfort and happiness
were his.
From the highway Ellisland is disap-
pointing The ridge of the Stealing
fields form asmonotonous horizon line.
But Burns knew where to build his NTH
side nest. From any point in the vicin-
ity Of the oastSad or farm buildings there
is glorious view Of the valley Of the
NTH. Almost the entire course OF the
river is traceable. Coming from its
crystal cradle among the mountains OF
eastern Ayrshire, it tumbles along In o
southwesterly course, watering the royal
burgh OF Sanquhar and the ducal village
OF Thornhia, thence passing the stupen-
dous mass Drumtanrie Castte-where
Scott was q guest when the first intel
ligence snd agony Of his financial ruin
came upon him. At Auldgirth bridge
the mountains press the stream closely.
Then thsriver broodens, and sweeps in
gentle snposities through the widest
expahse Of the valley, past Ellisland,
and on - Dumfries and the sea, height
ened in its exquisite beauty by myriads
OF tiny burns, braes and lesser dales
which soften the outlines OF the greater
dale until its whole fair face breathes OF
sweetness and repose.
9sTHE PoEr's HOME.
The house faces to the east and north
gentle bend in the NTH, which muir
mnrs here over the shining shadows not
a hundred yards distant. With the out
buildings and their connecting rubble
walls, a sunny, nearly enclosed quad
rangle IL formed. The side next the
distant highway, to the west, has to the
right, as you enter the enclosure, a
stable and'cowhouse and byre or feed
ing strawyard behind. To the left is a
mill shedAa modern structure, tiny
barn, and behind the latter (which with
the stable and cowhouse stand precisely
as burns built them is the enclosed
stack yardRhere bonnie Jean found her
husband in thu. great agony oil dejec-
tiou which gave the world the match
less hymn to Mary in heaven.
The house itself, into the construe-
ton Of which the poet put months OF
his own labor, working alongside the
rustic stonemasons of the time, remains
to this day exactly rs he built it. A
small kitchen has been added on the
side next the river, which now us then
Is the front Of the house. The portion
built by Burns is OF rubble, about fifty
five feet long and nearly twenty in
width tits in one story in height, with
an ample attic. There is large room
about eighteen feet square at each end.
The entrance from tho Nith-side was
into a hallway, from which these two
large rooms was reached. Out Of this,
one could also pass to the attic above,
and to atsnall kitchen which, with o
little bedroom, stand between the two
larger rooms. OF the latter, the one at
the left or north end, which communt.
Gates with the little bedroom was used
by Burns for the ceremonious enter
tainmentof distinguished guests. The
other, at the south end, wac the real
heart Of the home; the spence"
or living room Of the poet his
wife and BARNS. The family provisions
werc kept here. In one end stood the
bed. The meals were eaten here. And
here the companions that Burns loved
came into the ingle-nook glow. Beside
tho fireplace is a broad, low window.
Against the side wall stood an oaken tn
bic, and herc the poet in this sunny cor
ner could feast his eyes upon tho flowers
and vines ofhis own little garden, let
tham dMall.tondly upon his cattle and