Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-05-10
SOUTH PARIS, MAINE. TUESDAY, MAY 10. Il

much more attractive, for what could be
more appropriate and touching than that
sculptured hand still holding the plow-
share! This memorial consists OF u mar
ble figure Of the poet, and at his feet q
plow, while over his head the figure Of
Poetry, or the Muse, holds canopy.
Indeed most impressive group Is this
woudrous trinity.
The sexton appears and unlocks the
iron gate, and we stand on the marble
that covers him, inscribed with his name
In gold letters, and that Of his wife,
Jean Armour, aud hve sons-snd count
1t no weakness to drop a tear on this
grave that speaks more elOquently and
with grester tenderness to the great
mass OF the English speaking race, than
any other spot on earth. Here are still
great heaps of withered flowers, wreaths
Of immortelles and lauIels, and other
memorials and decorations, sent here on
the occasion Of the centennial anniver-
sary Of his death, celebrated here 10 '96 ;
and It Is with feeling Of pride that we
survey those sent from our own father
land, which far exceed the ones sent from
any other country, telling more elo-
Quently than words that the hand that
held the plow handles still holds the
heart handles OF Americas sons and
daughters, be they small or great, be
they high or low. IL is that touch OF
Nature which makes the whole world
kin" which he portrays with such sim
pliclty and eloquence, that makes all the
world love him-though perhaps with
the added fascination contained 10 the
old Mdrim that "all the world loves u
lover"
Sadly we turn away, after gathering
many mementoes to send across the seas
to those who follow our footsteps In
loving thought and remembrance as We
tread these hsllowed scenes. The next
object for which we search is the house
In which he died, almost under the
shadow Of the old kirkyard, and on the
street now called Burns Street, which
indeed could scarce be called street,
for II Il but narrow dark alleywsy and
the house low poverty y-haunted struct-
ure, indeed almost q hovel. IL Is In
hSbited at present by won an and seven
or eight very dirty bairas, who neverthe-
| less appealed to their visitors heart and
pocketbook with equal fervor, though 10
Scotlsud-blest country there Is not
30 much to stir the sympsthies 10 this
direction as In their sister Isle Of Erin.
Perhaps II WAS here that Burns wrote:
| 80 wha wad leave this humble state
For a. the pride Of - che grcatl"
| II SO, the place seems to br keeping up
its reputation, for the bdiraies, though
clad In not much besides that which ad-
heres 10 their natural covering from wal
10 wing apparently In the mud, are blithe
and bonnie, and the mother who opens
the door Is clad In a smile, despite her
scauty other rsiment, and she may be the
the one who says:
80, gear will buy me rigs o Land,
And gear will buy me sheep and kye.
But the tender heart o. iccsome luve,
| The gowd and silver cannot buy"
We will hope so, ut least, for the sake OF
him who wrote these following lines,
which contain sermon more gloriously
eloquent than ever fell from the lips OF
silver-tongued orator, or golden mouth
ed divine:
| "Is Fortunes nckle Luna waning'
Zen let her gangl
Beaoafh rhaf light ske has remaining
| Lef's sing our sang
Retracing our footsteps over the rough
cobblestOnes, We soon come to the old
Globe Tavern, that unfortunate and de-
plorable resort which appealed to the
meaker side OF his nature, alas. with q
too strong and irresistible force. The
entrance is also through q narrow, dark
alley way, scarce wide enough for In
gress. His armchair IL here, and also
the window on which he wrote his well
known lines referring to ''Old Wisdom,
the Gray Beard" The Kings Arm
Tavern Is another similar resort, and on
the window here Is also another verse In
his own handwriting. Because OF hi
inability to resist the allurements OF tn
flowing bowl AS we'll ~ the sllurements
Of the msny Highland lassies, there arr
those who will say he is unworthy of
all these high ideals-indeed such has
been s,id many times TO his present eu.
logist-but though In his character ther'
~as indeed much that We, who worship
his memory and genius, could ferventl,
wish had not been there, yet mtyhap, II
lust those elements We so condemn h,d
been left out, we should not have had
the exquisite pathos and immortal ten
derness some Of his poems breathe TO
tue WOTius ! ~ tiuC etSs W
the souls Of US all there Is that Divine
element which In times Of great trem-
bling and sorrow, brings out better and
truer thoughts than We are capable OF at
other times.
So IL Was with him We have come
here to honor, for the very sins and
weaknesses TO which his human nature
succumbed, brought him many times 10
the verge Of despair--the spiritual snt
the material waged conflict which n
milder nature never could understand.
Some have also credited him, or DIS
credited him, with irreverence, but let
such ones read his religious poems and
they will no longer believe him irrelig-
ious, for that cry, "Ob, aid me with Thy
help, Omnipotence Divine" will appeal
to more than one OF US.
And finally, his last journey Was over
these streets. As he lay on his death
bed he composed that exquisite little
poem, "Oh, Vert Thou 10 the Csuld
Blast" which MendelssOhn afterwards
set to music, and though simple,
modest little melody, It is one Of the
masterpieces Of the great Poet OF Music,
as Its words are Of the great Poet OF
Nature.
And 30 we leave him-not needing to
cast the mantle Of charity over his poor
human frailty, for his own beautiful,
snow white mantle Of gentleness, tender
ness, generosity, humility and human
sympathy, covers 1t all, far, far from
sight! For had not the accidents OF life
struck him 90 violently, we should not
have had from his soul such heavenly
strains of music-chords that vibrate
again through all humanity!
MARTHA MAXIM.
Oa:lrNad nnsnoor