Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-26
BIRTHDAY OF BOBBY BURNS
One Hundred and Forty Seventh Annivsr-
ssry Locally Celebrated.
NOTABLE EVENT IN CLAN GoRDowsRscoaD
Lyric Theater FfIIed with Members
and Friends and Fine Program
Presented 60 Pleasure of
All Assembled.

IL the soul Of Robert Burns could have
descended to earth last night, and lowered
for a while in some quiet corner OF the lit
tie Lyric theater, that greatest OF Scotia's
singers would have known full we'll. though
the grasses OF many decades have grown
above his head. that Scottish hearts are
with him yet. One hundred and forty
seven years have passed since the poets
birth and in commemorstion OF Its ami
versary his countrymen of Omaha gathered
to do him honor. 1t was the seventeenth
time they have thus honored his name.
The celebration was under the auspices
of Clan Gordon No. IS, Order OF Scottish
Clans. A Burns concert program, presided
over by Chief william Kennedy. was given.
and Colonel T W. Mccullough. in an ad-
dress. paid tribute to the poets life and
works. 1-
Progress. of the Program.
After some bsgpipe music by George w.
MoDougall, an overture, "A Scotch" by
the orchestra. and the singing of Scots
VIVA Haze" and MY Country. It's of
Thee" by the company, Chief William
Kennedy spoke few words of welcome.
Scots are loyal to the memory of their ma
tive country and proud of their illustrious
men, he said. Scotland he asserted, holds
a remarkably high place among the nations
OF the world. it's best men leading the
world in art, law. medicine, education,
craftsmanship.
Mr.. Kennedy read letters from several
who could not be present, but who assured
the members of Clan Gordon that their
sympathies were with them. These were
Royal Chief W. II. Steen of Braidwood,
Ill. Royal Secretary Peter Keer of Boston;
P. T. Anderson OF Alhambra. Cal. past
chief of Clan Gordon Congressman John
l.. Kennedy, now in Washington; Sir Henry
Campbell Zimmerman. premier of Great
Britain. and william Bilsland. lord provost
of Glasgow
As the first number on the program Mrs.
Donovan sang MY Heart is Sair.' and
| when the audience insisted on another she
and Mr.. Kennedy sang 20 Waur Ye in the
| Cauld Blast?" A. c. Stewart sang High
land Mary" and as an encore Loeb Lo-
| mond."
Instead of the sword dance, which was to
have been done by Mr. McDougall, two
little girls, Lucy Bentley and Bessie Nc.
Dougall. danced the highland fling. Dressed
In plaid kits and Sashes, and gracefully
moving to the tune OF the pipes. they made
a very pretty sight.
why burns IL Immortal.
| Then came an address by T. w. McCul
Tough on THE Immortal Memory II,
spoke first Of the inspiration aroused b,
| Burns name wherever the English Ian
guage is spoken, then of the priceless heri
tage he had left his country, and of thu
pride which Scotand's sons take In thu
greatest bard Then he touched upon tn
fact that ii was the common things of If
the poet celebrated in music-incidents o
the field, the market, the lodge. Further, h
said:
/ Burns character still seems an mex
plicable mixture OF contradictions to many
This failure to understand the why's an,
wherefores OF the life that was so open Il
it's. every aspect is. due 10 the failure L
r appreciate one of the grandest and mobiles
OF his traits. He has been charged wit
being stubborn, proud and headstrong
that he would not take advantage of oppor
tunities that came to him because in doin
so he would have been required to aban
don in some degree that high stand of in
dependence to which he had devoted hi
manhood years A note of rebellion sound
at times through his writings, and thi
has been by many mistaken for the dom
inant note OF his nature In reaching thi
conclusion these folks overlooked the dept
! of tenderness and world of human Low
that 10 found trickiing like honey from tn
comb through all HIS writings. Even I
his most savage moments, and ne ma
savage moments often enough, Burns di
not entirely forget the brotherhood o
which he was but member, that gloIiou
company of mankind, to whose fold h
welcomed the most lowly and the most un
worthy. He freely gave TO all that whic
so many denied 10 him, the sympathy 10
which he craved, and which he foun
among those who appreciated because the
could not patronize him.
Toll and It's Fruits.
4
him a spirit of revolt against conditions
his physique proved unequal TO the tas
he was called upon to perform, and froi
his physical weakness grew that iaxity Z
ness os the moral fiber. Thus from IN
first, almost. Bobby Burns was misundei
BY ns un wep the eSdnss Of
} meaning but unknowing friends ne wef
on from what they thought was bad I
what they deemed even worse sea once ;hee
would be appreciated as he desired, an
for a moment there is noted in his life
r brightness as when the sun breaks o.
doomed to disappointment; those who ha
Il to give declined to pay the tribute he d
served and the, clouds closed around n
In experience, much OF the early bitterne'
of disappointment dropped behind him. an
ne came to be reconeiled IN a measure
the situation. He felt keenly the intustit
, OF the unequal distribution OF the GOO
! things OF life, but this feeling did M
: breed in him. as 1t might IN a lesser ma
any sentiment of envy. file besrudged
no man his share of the worlds gear;
rails good naturedly at the fortune thu
. leaves him in poverty while an unworth
man revels in Luxurious case, but
stands erect In the presence OF the ric
; man in consciousness OF mis- own wort
I and paws himself dignihed tribute 10 h
VERT, however little the other may prii
Prophet of Liberty.
lyon birkie cad "a lord" might strut az
stare and a. that" and only excite Il
Z loftiest OF contempt on part OF the ms
a who was a uiilar of light in the democrat
OF brains This was not playing TO the Z
e on Burns part: he patronized nobod
e and brooked patronage from nobody. n
o ! was this attitude an outgrowth OF rebe
! lous spirit He recognized properly esta
u lished authority in society. and paid d.
{ | and proper respect to the dignitaries
3 both church and state as such. reseryiI
to himself, as do all OF US, his private rig
! 10 hold then i'm whatever esteem he emo
In his capacity as a citizen, IL the ofnci
| merited respect In his nrivate eapaclt
Burns cheerfully accorded him this du
y More. he must deserve by reason OF .
intrinsic worth. for his extrinsic val
: obtained for him only the due OF extern
r show In the cant phrase of the prese
dav. IAN r,en looked alike TO him" n
! pride that supnorted him in his darke
| hour was but the nutgrowth of prop
- self regard an attribute OF his respect I
: hinself II he failed or seemed 10 fail
}, | tunes n was because he sorroWed as HaI
la aorroUed ssfor the time was out