Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-10-08
For the Sunday Gazette.
Moniavie, Scotland, s


men in the eighteenth century. They
are John Anderson, My 10, john"
and "Annie Laurie" Both were written
near the banks of the songful NTH in
Dumfresshire. Both were written by
almost strangers TO their temporary en-
vironmeDt. Both were written as true
peans of joy out of almost inezpressble
deathlessness from their directness, brew
ity and simplicity, which ever most power
fully appeal to the universal human heart.
Robert Burns wrote "John Anderson,
My Jo, John" from hint he received
out of The old doggered rhyme upon one
John Anderson, the town piper of ancient
Kelso, preserved in Bishop Percy's old
manuscript of about 1860. The first two
lines of the rhyme were:
John Anderson, my 10, John, cum in as
re gaze by,
And re shall get sleeps held weel
baken in pye;"
but its matchless picture and lesson OF
changeless connubial affection and 10y
atty was the legitimate outgrowth Of
his own noble and contented life with
bonnie Jean" on the Ellisland farm,
shortly after Burns removal from Ayr
shire, beside the river NTH, about eight
miles above the city Of Dumfries. The
few years passed by the bard and his
family here We're years of unalloyed
happiness and content; and this poem,
written in 1883, is the clearest. sweetest
note to reach US out of the brief Eden of
idyllic time.
"Anuie Laurie" was written little
more than a century earlier, IN Maxwell
town, in Nitlisdalc, by William Doug
lass, to real flesh and blood Annie
Laurie, on the occasion Of his departure
from Maxwelltown. after period of
stealthy trysting and wooing, which left
the Annie Laurie of the song his be
trothed. This William Douglass, who
never wrote other immortal lines, was
native of Fiugland, wild littl dis
trict of the parish of Casphairn, in the
northern part of the adjoining shire, or
stcwartry, of Kirkcudbright. There is
little known of his people. However,
through his native talents he became
the cadet to the noble Queensbury fam-
lIoddns puB oJuuoIlUdS Il1u puG 81
gained for him the position and associa-
tions of gentleman of rank. At an
Edinburgh ball he met and became enam.
orel with Annie Laurie, daughter of
Sir Robert Laurie, baronet of Maxwell
town. She was born at the old manor
House of the latter place in 1OS2. Sir
Robert, not fancyine the prospects of
young Douglns Us a dependent Of the
Quecusbury family, and noticing that
HE love affair between hun and Annie
WAS becoming serious, suddenly left
Edinburgh and returned with his fani-
" 70 MaNwelltown and Nithsdale, hop
ing TINS to separate the lovers and end
an unfortunate attachment.
Had everything gone 20 the liking of
the barOnet, the world would have miss
ed the sweet old song. Douglass shortly
learned OF the whereabouts Of his in
amorata and promptly, followed. He re-
manned secretly &C MaNwelltown for
months, and the loyemnlIing went on
famously betimes among the glens braes.
woods and shadowN ruins with which the
country ahounds. Douglas possessed ia
c0hiie utilization, and rumors suddenly
ing Stuart uprising. he fastened 10 Ed
iuburgh to be near the scene Of action.
But before quitting the side OF his Niths-
dale love. he secured "hcr promise lrne."
In the cation Of joy upnn this achieve
nient he wrote. and left with his be-
! bile as any that Robert Bnrns ever left
to Scotland and the word, beginning:
Maxwellton's blaes were bonnie.
Where early fa,s the dew.
An twas there That Annie Laurie
Gled me her .fomise true.
Gled me her, promise true,
That ne'cr forgot wal be:
And FOR bonnie Annie Laurie
ia lay me down and dec!
But, save in feminiscence. It was NOT
| 10 happen that cher promise trne ne'er
| forgot wad be-" and William Douglass
! declined 10 lie down and dee on account
| Of Annie Laurie or any other Scottish
/ lady fair. Douglas adherence to the
Stuart cause brought him under the ban
| OF the authorities, and he was soon COM
| PEELED 10 escape 10 France, whore he re
| manned IN exile for q few years. until
he could secure. through the powerful
the government There is no proof that
| either ''jiiPd' the other, Perhaps Annie
| Laurie was as calny as her father, Sir
| Robert, who was staunch lacnbite
| batter. Pcrhans llopeins found Interesting
| temporary attachments In Paris. Per
haps each unconsciously drifiel away
from the other through the deadly politi-
| cal and religious rancor Of the time. IL
Is doubtful II Annie Laurie ever received
smother misslye from her imprisoned
| poet lover after the one containing the
| ballad, which must ever preserve the
memory OF bO,h. Aud Il Is certain that
the pair never again met after the sadly
blissful parting which gave birth TO this
sweetest and tenderest of songs. il is
: said that Il was first given 70 the pub
lie 10y Lady John Scott, sister OF the late
| Duke Of Buceleurh, who slightly re-
| arranged the words and the music, aud
who secured their publication for the
bencht % some charity In behalf Of
s widows and orphans OF the Crinean war.
but there Is no substantial proof that tue
words and the tune are not now precise
ly as they came from the soul ana the
I pen Of the ardent Jacobite lover.
! The portraits Of Annie Laurie. pre-
served At Craigdarroch and Mansfield.
seats Of her descendants. show her 10 be-
woman Of slender physique with a
/ peculiarly slight and willOWy figure
I Upon this was set a head whose profile
Is as n lrkclly classic as ever was shown
oeDDINes We can't make