Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-01-26
THE BARD or BONNIE SCOTLAND.
Local Scots Do Honor to the Poet, Robert Burns
"A General Good Time.

The name and memory of Robert
Burns, the bard of Bonnie Scotland.
were honored by the countrymen of the
illustrious poet rs never before in Salt
Lake, last night. The celebration was
on the occasion of the anniversary of
Burns's birth: was under the auspices
of the Californian club and took place
at Christensens hall. The festivities
We're in the nature OF banquet and ball
and most enjoyable throughout.
David Henderson was POSTMASTER
and that gentleman called upon Chief
Moffat to deliver the speech OF welcome
which he did in happy style. conclud-
ing with u tribute to the memory or
the man in whose name they had as
sembed. Clansman David Nelson
responded to the toast the CALIFORNIAN
Club. in n manner that made every
member of the organization proud of
David.
Governor Wells Is not n Scotchman,
but the Caledonians are all claiming
him today. 1t was because the exec
utive delivered himself of the following
response to the toast Utah:
It's nae frequent that a puir Uta
laddic like mysel can get sic n graun
opportunity tae say a few wards tae
that part of a lads constituency hall
in frae bonnie Scotland. 1t warns the
cookies o. me HART to be wi we, espayci-
| ally the Draw heeland lads and lassles,
| for We mind me o. the lads and las
sizes o. the heelands o. me ain bonnie
Uta.
When read ilka year ABBOTT the
graun guild gatherin's ye're ha' in
| wi yer Caledonians, I'm over glad to
think that moo ye're part an parcel o.
the laun o. the free and the hahn o.
| the Draw, and more espaycially are ye
| part and parcel o. me ain bonnie Uta.
We welcomed We to the hills and
| wales of our mountain hahn, for We ken
recht weel yer lungs are fitted for our
| heelands and your Drawn and brain
| were built a purpose to aid in the re-
demption o. the daysert whereby our
| sage brush may be made to blossom
| like the Scotch thistle.
dinna think sic anither folk for get
| tin thegither and feastin' and pipin'
and dancin' bides l. the warld as the
| Scotch folk. I'm thinliin twad be Il
rare sight tae see sic hooseful o Uta
| folk gathered theglther l. Scotland n
| dancin' and feastin' and speakin' Draw
words ABBOTT their ain bonnie Uta.
Mauny time I've baird tell o. the
| Scots love for his native heath and it's
kent tae a the warld that ane laddle
| frae Dumfries wad lay doom his bonnie
| Draw life and dee for anither laddie
frae Dumfries. Sic state of affairs
| dye ken-sic devotion tae ane anither
| dye ken. Is ane o. the graundest no.
| blest sentiments o. the human HART
for does not the guild book say AN
ither commandment / gle unto ye that
| we love aneNanither."
An in these days o. clamberin' for
wealth and power and place and the
| like o. that, it's a rare guild sight tne
see there's sumpin besides sller and
| goold to draw us thcgither, maun.
I'm thinkin' the nicht what II noble
example ye're scttin', wi yer toasts and
songs. yer quips and pranbs and yer
| bonnie guild laughs, to the risin gem
Grafton o. me ain fair Utn. tn be n
proud day for her native sons and
dochters when they gain the reputation
for loove and devotion to the laun O
their birth that the Scots enjoy the
day.
Mayhap It will COON In tlme--wheit
| we mack as much noise + the warlu ar
| the Scots ha' dun and bide as lang o
the map as Scotland ha' bided. As fol
myself l emma think the skies are ony
bluer or the grass ony greener T. Scot
land than they are l. Utah; but tn
thinkin' the deefercnce lies L the fact
that we've nae Bobby Burns to write
varses ABBOTT them.
Hon. r. II. Roberts was the mex
speaker. Like Governor Wells no lay
no claim TO being q Scot,but he warmed
the heart OF every Scotohman presen
last night by his response to the toast
Robert Burns. IT was an able and ct
| oquent presentation Of the virtues ane
abilities of the great poet. The speak
er said that Burns made mistakes In hi
youth but that he corrected them q!
far as possible in his later life. II
was sincere man, he had deep nm
n great character. He laid hold of the
heart of humanity. That Is why he
grows In popularity while others arr
neglected. He was n naturalist, thai
is. understood human nature. ana M
was morallst. He was one OF the
hest of preachers, he was profoundly
religious, hut his religion was not
bounded by the lines Of any narrow
creed. Some of his poems are the most
beautiful and heart touching prayers
ever offered, and others the most eio'