The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-08-01
Smith and Burns.

Not long ago, when the new material for
the Henley edition OF Burns was being
sought at home and abroad, a certain
NE dest Scotchman, living in the United
States, had an original manuscript 1.-the
graphed and sent To the publishers In
making acknowledgment OF this courtesy
on page 400 Of the third volume, recently
published, they write him down as Mr.
W. R. Smith. OF Cincinnati, Ohio. There
can be 70 reasonable doubt that Mr..
W r. Smith does reside in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Perhaps several Of them. But the Mfr.
w. X. Smith who possesses the original
Burns manuscript resides, and for forty
three years has resided, in Washington
city as superintendent Of the Botanic Gar
dens. A6 present, Furthermore, he is prssi-
dent of the Society OF American Florists,
and for over a generation he has been
widely known In This country as the friend
of many distinguished men, He has
always been at home 20 them In his little
red brick cottage, which nestles, well
hidden, just under the white majesty
of the Capitol and at peace in the green
plapt-world Of its own
The treasure Of this house, as IL is the
pride OF his heart, has long been his Burns
collection, which fills small room apart
from his general library. How interesting
this collection is may be inferred from his
own statement that it contained two hun
dred separate dated editions of Burns out
of the six hundred editions which he saws
have Leeu published throughout the world.
To this treasure-hOuse of his beloved poet
he expects &c add other volumes, to be
obtained from the Mitchell library of GIas-
Cow, whiah leads all others in Burnsiana.
The affection with which he still plans for
the further enrichment Of his hoard is a
passion that began In youth. The first
shillings he ever earned, he says, were cap
tured at a village school examina ton.
In the dreadful presence Of the dominic
and the minister the class had been called
up TO recite, member by member, stanza in
turn, Gray's '.EIegy-" They soon stuck.
''YOu go on with it. Dux, Commanded the
dominic. Go ON with IL he id. and two
shilli1gs were laid in his palm for this feat
of memory, whereupon he took TO his heels
and spent hi prize for his first volume OF
Robbie"
Among his rare editions he reckons one
published at Alexandria, Va, In 1918,
during the war with England. Only two
copies Of this, he says. are known TO he
In existence. Another is the first American
edition. Another is the second American
edition. to which belonged the Washington
copy now owned by Representative Cabell
OF Illinois, and held to be priceless. As
to the final disposition OF his Burns library,
he thought at one time OF sending it to a
Masonic institution in Kentucky, owing to
his friendship for the late Senator Beck
OF that State. another rugged ScOtchman
whose portrait hangs on the library wall.
He has since thought OF Icavingit to Prince
ton College, out OF regard for the late
President McCosh. But his preference is to
have &c housed at last in Washington. In q
room that be wouldlike Mr.AndrewCarnegie
TO build for it there instead OF the one the
millionaire is understood to have offered
to build in Pittsburg. It would be u pity
ever to have the collection removed from
Washington. where it Is so often visited.
When Craibe Angus wanted the loan of Is
last year for the Burns celebration as
Glasgow. Mr.. Smith declined to send it,
being loath TO disappoint his American visit
ors- In this confeetion he quoted with ~ NE
feeling remark once made by a niece OF
Burns: "A scotchman always begins by
finding fault with my uncle; but the Amcri-
cans-tbey never find fault with him." A
scotchman must come to this country. In
sisted Mr.. Smith. TO find out what it means
to love the poet OF scotland.-The Book-
man.