The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-06-19
WROTE ANNIE LAURIE
A WOMAN TO WHOM WORLD
WAS INDEBTED.
The Woman who Composed the Music
and Modified the words-Also a Friend
Of the Poor and Infrm OF Her
Native Heath.

Each heart recalrd a different name,
But all sang Annie Laurie.
Had the same words been set TO
other notes, or had some other love
ballad been adapted TO the sweet mu-
sic of Annie Laurie" wouh the sub
tie charm of suggestion have been
the same? When a dear old song
plays upon our hearts, Is il the word
or the music which e1erts the most
Influence? Whom do we hold best
beloved. the composer of verse or the
composer of notes?
In the case of this, perhaps the
greatest love song OF the English Ian
guage, she who wrote the music
practically wrote the wordsv-certain-
ly the version as sung for the last half
century. Annie Laurie really lived
She was born "in the purple" 50 to
speak, more than 200 years ago in
Dumfrieshire, Scotland. young fell
low of the name of Douglas In a near
by hamlet loved fair Annie, and he
wrote the original version of the we'll
little day and died. Their author. in
due course of time, laid him down and
died. too, but not for bonn&e Annie
Laurie, for she would have none OF
him, and instead Of becoming Mrs
Douglas. she elected 10 take the name
Of Ferguson. In this manner she got
the husband OF her choice, but no
fame.
In the course of little more than
century there was born IN England the
woman who was to breathe in%o the
dead poem the breath of life and the
soul Of music. She rescued from obli
won the name of Annie LaEerta and
wrought Worldwide bond OF sympa-
thy for the hapless Douglas. Even
the name Of Mr.. Ferguson emerged
from the gloom of the tomb and went
clattering down the coTrtdors of Time
as the lucky husband of Annie Lau-
rie. 1t was a sort Of a general resur-
rection.
So TO Lady John Scott Spottiswood
who has Just died, the world Is iIdebt-
ed for the words and music OF the
song that II sings today Born IN 1899
she was married In 1895 to Lord John
Douglas Montague Scott. She sue
ceeded to her brothers property in
1870 and resumed the family surname
of Spottiswood. She was an accom-
plished musician and an efficient play
er on several Instruments Many
years ago she issued volume of pop
ular songs with music 1t was much
more than half century ago that she
modified the original words of Annie
Laurie" ard composed the music that
will keep alive the verses tor aye
When in 1854 England Wa fighting
in the Crimea it was our own BAyard
Taylor who wrote the ''So23 OF the
| Camp" containing the lines:
They sang of love, and not Of fame;
Forgot was BritaiD's gloS7;
Each heart recall'd different name,
And all sang Annie Laurie"
and thus linked the song to the Other
and younger branch of tho English
speaking world.
The poor and infrm IN tho parish
Of Westruther have lost q real bene
factor by the death Of Lady John, VIII
was wont to say of her charities, my
father was kind to the poor. and why
should not l be-" OF pronounced an
tiquarian tastes, Lady Scott Spottts
wood secured every important find II
the district and during her long lif'
gathered a large collection Of object
of archaeological interest She per
mitted no interference ON her estatt
with any feature that served 10 keel
alive the memory of the past, and old
place names were strictly adhered to
Instead of placing the direction, ''Shu
the gate" on gates she wished KEEP
closed in her demesne, the reQues
appeared in her vernacular, "Steek tn
yeti" She had no box-seat on he
carriage, hor coachman having to rid
as postillion, and her clinging to by
gone customs was manifested In ever
relation of life.
| RnI