Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-09-21

which broods on the other side Of these
mountains In the pumfriesshire land of
Burns. Perhaps Il is your own atti-
tule and sentiment. Perhaps in the
Doom coun,ry'ths suggsstiyeness Of the
youthful, vagarous, impu'sively riotons
earlier years of the plowman poet, when
he himself sang of the
"Rakish art of Rob Mossgiel,"
haunts you like hints of lowering
shadows. Perhaps, too, it is the occa-
sional shock to your own reverence that
now and then comes from the holiday
sort of levity in thousands from all lands
who come and poke about and go, as
though there were certain kind Of
purient qualification in fine remarks on
the sacred episodes of Highland Msry,
and gentle, loyal Jean, and on finding
where immortal poet soul was sent
among the human harmonies in the
dark recess Of the Ayr cottage-for-
getting that the Master in the lowly
manger came.
and double picture, you instinctively
turn from the vague buffoonery casual
pilgrims interpret in the first part, TO
the later and better part where the
strong, fine tread OF poet and man first
truly set in; to the scenes where few
irreverent pilgrims come; and here, at
the utmost source of the bonnie Doom,
with misting eyes you look over into
Nith-vale past old Dumfries town to the
roaring Solway tides and seem to know,
as of a loved one gone, the deeper, ten
derer mysteries of his environment and
life. The period covers the 10 years
preceding his death, from his 27th to his
37th year of age; a period into which
was crowded more personal hope and
disappointment, joy and suffering, re-
morse for impulsive wrong-doing,
heaven of purest domestic bliss, tempta.
ton and victory, agonized despair and
triumph, than fall to the lot of most
| great men in their entire lives. There
were first the disownment and desertion
| by Jean Armour; the betrothal to High
land Mary, with tine sad parting and
her tragic death; the publication OF the
now priceless though then humble Kill
marnock edition Of his poems; the prepa-
ration for flight to Jamaica; the trium-
plant visit to Edinburgh; the generous
caring for the mother and brothers; the
glad reunion with his Jean, and the
BODYBUILDING at Ellisland over there by
the songful NTH.
Then came the brief, bright days. The
proceeds of settlement with Creech, his
Edinburgh. publisher, Melted him the
then munificent sum of about f500.
Magnanimously generous always, much
of this sum, the first and last material
good fortune Burns ever knew, went to
Jeans parents, and to assist his brother
Gilbert Burns in averting disaster in the
latter's farm-life efforts, His lucky meet
ing with the ingenious and kindly
Patrick Miller of Dalswinton Hall, had
occurred. II had been settled 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, the
source of his grandest inspirations. Tn,
beautiful farm of Ellisland, five mile,
above Dumfries, was taken at a renta
Of ESQ per year. Burns, unaidcd, hegaI
his farm labors the first Monday ate
Whitsunday, 1888. He toiled manfully
until the autumn of that year, mean
time singing many lusty song to hi
absent wife, and built the lovely cot
tage which stands embowered in rose
to this day.
And then was celebrated the simpl
but glorious homecoming, when, witt
rustic rites, and his bonnie Jean upol
his arm, preceded by a peasants gil
carrying the family Bible and bowl q
. sal" he marched proudly into his littl
home-heaven beside the winding Nitt
: All evidences agree that in the brie
, period of y trifle over two years, hetwee
Whitsurday, 1888, and Martinmas, 179,
,, Burns and his good Jean experience
!. an Eden of labor and love, despite the
final enforced departure. 1t was ais
the period of Burns best and create:
poetic accomplishment. But more chi
dren came TO them. These must be sur
ported. The crops failed, and ineviti
BILE ruin was approaching. 1t was thei
with nowhere else on earth to turn, wit
no ono on earth to defend him from Il
wretched influences of such environ
ment, that TO save his wife and childre
: firm actual want, he was forced 10 q
= cept the government position of excis
:, man at the bcggarly pittance Of ESQ p
year. The five remaining years Of b
! life, after the poet, his Jean and the
a three children, Robert, Francis Walla
y and William Nicoi, removed to the hur
. BILE lodgings, and then their GOTTA
g home, in Dumfries, checkered, sa
!. pathetic beyond comprehension, a
y known to all. EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.
% CHOLERA IN ENGLAND.