CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1900-06-21
WROTEANNIE LAURIE
WOMAN TO WHOM THEwoRLD
WAS INDEBTED.
rho Woman who Composed the Music
and Modified the words-Aiso = Friend
of tn. Poor and fnarm of Her
Native Heath.

Each heart recalld 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" would the sub
tie charm of suggestion have been
the same? When a dear old song
plays upon our hearts. is it the words
or the music which exerts 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 lam
guage. she who wrote the music
practically wrote the words-certain-
ly the version as sing for the last half
century. Annie Laurie really lived.
She was born ''in the purple" so to
speak. more than 200 years ago in
Dumfrieshire.- Scotland. A 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
known poem. The verses lived their
little day and died. Their author in
due course Of time. laid him down and
died, too, but not for bonnie Annie
Laurie. for she would have none of
him, and instead of becoming. Mrs.
Douglas, she elected to 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 a
century there was born in England the
woman who was to breathe into the
dead poem the breath of life and the
soul of music. She rescued from obli-
rion the name of Annie Laurie. 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
Gathering down the corridors 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 indebt-
I'd for the words and music of the
song that it sings today. Born in 1899
she was married in 1885 to Lord John
Douglas Montague Scott She sue
.
1870 and resumed the family surname
OF Spottiswood. She was an accom-
plished musician and an efficient play
ar on several Instruments. Many
years ago she issued a volume of pop
ular songs with music. II was much
more than half century ago that she
modified the original words OF Annie
Laurie" and composed the music that
will keep alive the verses for aye.
When in 1854 England was fighting
in the Crimea II was our own Bayard
Taylor who wrote the Song OF the
Camp" containing the lines:
"They sang of love. and not Of fame;
Forgot was Briiain's glory;
Each heart recaii'd different name.
And all sang Annie Laurie"
and thus linked the song to the other
and younger branch of the English
speaking world.
The poor and lnfirm In the parish
of Westruther have los. real bene-
factor by the death of Lady John. who
was wont to say of her charities, MY
father was kind to the poor, and why
should not be7" OF pronounced an
tiquarian tastes. Lady Scott Spottis-
wood secured every Important find in
the district. and during her long life
gathered a large collection OF objects
OF archaeological interest. She per-
mitted no interference on her estate
with any feature that served to keep
alive the memory Of the past, and old
place names were strictly adhered to.
Instead of placing the direction. Shut
the gate" on gates she wished KEEP,
closed in her demesne. the request
appeared in her vernacular. "Steek the
yeti" She had no box-seat on her
carriage, her coachman having to ride
as postillion, and her clinging to by
gone customs was manifested In every
relation of life.