Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-01-26
Burns Club
HOLD THEIR ANNUAL
CELEBRATION-THE
14oth ANNIVERS-
AIRY OF BURNS
BIRTH.
A Most Enjoyable Occasion.
Music, Dancing and
Toasts.

Those who gathered in Thomas hal
last night to enjoy the hospitality of tn.
Burns club wilt never forget the occa
sion. The club numbers fifty members
but covers were land for hundred, and
it is safe to say that there were no va
cant places. The occasion for the cele-
braton was the 14Oth anniversary of
the birth of Robert Burns, whom all
good Scotchmen honor and love.
The grand march was led off ut $50
by Piper George Patterson and was fol
lowed by Il Scottish reel The company
then sat down at the tables and after a
few selections on the gramophone by
William Duthie, Toastmaster Robert
lnylis, president of the Burns club, arose
anu spoke briefly on the subject of the
evening. In closing Toastmaster Inglis
SAID "We have met here to celebrate
the l40th anniversary of the birth of
Scotia's bard and every loyal Scotchman
should do his best to ever keep green
the memory of Robbie Burns"
A quartet composed of Mrs. Laing,
Mrs. Stuart and Messrs. Grant and
Inglis then sang, "There was a lad who
was born in Kyle"
The toast, "Robert Burns" was pro-
posed and Alex llanton responded. Civ
ing brief but interesting account of
Burns, his life, virtues and shortcom-
ings.
Abstract Of !. u to toast Of Robert
Burns by AlicK tlanton, 1899.
MIR. Toastmaster, Ladies and Gentle
men OF all the great Scottish days
marked in the calendar, the 25lh of
January is to ScCtchmen by far the
most memorable for it is the anniversary
)f that night "when blast O. Januar'
win, blew hansel in ON Robin" and we
n common with our counlrymen the
world over, have met here to celebrate
he 140th anniversary of the birth of
Robert Burns, the Scottish ploughman
,ard, he who elevates cotter to the
'acred dignity of a priest, and gives him
sublime conceptions of eternity and
,ternal things. He regards the peasant
with his coat of holden gray as more
ruly a man than the gartered fops of
'ank and title. All artiti'iality is brush
I'd aside. 1t is the common daisy on the
hillside that he poetises, and from which
le draws his most pathetic images.
some of his most vigorous descriptions
ire connected with the barefoot beauties
# the Tyre and workers in the furrow-
ield. Ills most remarkable poem. DO
or dramatic vividmess and pishy YER
lacutar, is written to celebrate the high
inks of parcel of wayside btggars.
It is precisely by such feats that his
ame is established for all time. His
poems have made workingmen into
literary critics. Ills fame is not con-
ined to Scotland and Scotchmen, but is
and his poetry the heritage of
Ill. Each succeeding year finds his
amo more extended, his memory more
cvived and his reputation is greater
low than ii has been at any time since
lis death.
But Robert Burns, like everybody
Use, had his detractors. Envy, malice
nd misrep resentation are to be found
we, ywherc. They never fail 10 under
ate the talents of any author who writes
everely regarding the prevailing GUS
oms of the day aud does not square his
,iews with those of Il narrow prejudice.
such an author is sure to come in for Il
aaye share of their i'll concealed spite.
3ulns, in his day, was no exception to
he rule. He was liercely denounced 10y
he bi yuts OF his time. Even now 100
..ars alter his death, numbers Of the
. unco yuid" attack him aud say he
as TOO conyivial,
Bui Burns WAS not onlya social man,
lc was also patriotic man, and dearly
oy, d old Sco.and. ManY proofs of this
.,e to be found in his poems and songs
Perhaps there is none which causes
lis patriotism to rise higher aud glow
more brightly than Scots wha hae WI
Wallace bled." But while Bnrns was
nan of independent thought and charac'