Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-27
SCOTS HONOR THEIR POET
Anniversary Of Burns COMMUNICATED BY
Clan Gordon Order Scottish Clans
ROBERT CowELL SPEAKER OF EVENING
Initial Step is Taken for the
Erection of statue of Great
est Scots Poet in
Omaha.
My ain bonnie Scotland. lo'e thee aye


My ain bonnie Scotland, I loe thee aye
Tho. far hae wandered frae thee
These are the opening lines of the ded- |
catory poem written by William Hutchin- |
son of Clan Gordon on the occasion of the |
eighteenth annual concert and ball of the
clan which last night marked the one hun
bred and forty-eighth anniversary of the
birth of Robert Burns; and these words
sounded the note to which every Scots
heart responded during the evening.
After an overture by Prof. timers or
chestra and a selection on the pipes by
Clan Pipers McDougal and Buchanan, Chief
William Kennedy delivered the address of
welcome, in which he took occasion to de-
plore the American practice OF referring to
the poet as "Bobbie" Burns while at home
today, as we'll as to his relatives and con-
temporaries, he was known as Robert.
Following this address Graham's Male
quartet sang Annie Laurie" This was
followed by Miss Mae Weaver, who sang
Here's a Health, Bonnie Scotland in
manner to elicit applause which would not
be stilled until she responded to the encore
by singing THE Land o. the Leal." W.
B. Graham sang the ever popular Loeb
Lomond' and for encore gave a popular
song contralto solo, My Ain Folk,
ny 'MEs- NSIhc bIoubhN ShSS'N'
Then came the Highland fling. led by
Pipe Major George w. McDougal. and
danced by four OF his pupils in the High
land costume-and they had to do 1t all
over again TO please the crowd.
Address by Robert COweU.
Then followed the address of the even
| ing, THE Immortal Memory" by Robert
| Cowell. Mr.. Cowell is not a Scot, but
| he's the next thing TO tia Manxman-and
he is as full of his subject as though he
came from the banks of Ayr.
The speaker briefly sketched the early
| life and struggles OF the poet, dwelling
on the character of his parents and their
| efforts TO mt him for life; of his early
loves and the effect of them on his poems,
| saying that to understand the poems of
Burns one must know the life of the Scotch
peasant of his day; of his brief time under
the smile OF fortune and his death, illus
trating his points by copious quotations
from the poems of Burns.
Mr.. CowelI treated his topic with the
style of the student OF the poet saying in
part:
His father was a man Of some learn
ing a gardner who had built his house
with his own hands; the mother a woman
of little learning but one who is said to
have had great respect for her husband;
the recording of this fact showing that
this was as remarkable in that day as in
this. These were people fitting for the par
ents of Robert Burns"
The speaker then sketched the early life
OF the poet, showing the high respect in
which he held his father, who realized the
value of education and employed a teacher
for his sons, but an old woman of the
household filled the head OF the young poet
with tales of witches and fairies, pro-
ducing a lasting effect on the mind OF the
boy Under the personal instruction OF
the father, study was confined to serious
subjects. Then came financial loss, and
the children had to work from morning to
night At Is years Of age Robert was
the principal worker on the farm-a plow-
boy at l6.
The companionship OF Nellie Fitzpatrick
and her songs caused young Burns to turr
his attention to poetry. All poets are
lovers, and Burns was a born lover Burns
sang of what he knew and wrote hC
felt Carlysle deplored Burns poverty. bu
had he possessed greater wealth, Scotland
might have lost its poet.
Upon the death OF his father Robert be.
came the head Of the family His associ
ates were not always the best for a mar
of his character. Here he met his donnie
Jean" and gave her a contract which. &C
cording TO the customs of the time, was
! a valid marriage. Jeans father would have
none Of this and tore up the paper, Thi,
pidued Robert and he turned from Jean c
Mary. Then they parted, he TO go to the
Indies, and within a few months poor
Mary died, and to his affection for her We
owe some OF his most beautiful songs. He
was urged to print this poetry, and this
prefaced the way for him at Marlborough
The rest Of his history is known to all; hi,
life his work, his death, surrounded by
sorrowful and loving family. but his las
days were embittered by the loss OF friends
who failed him in the hour OF his distress
: Burns, said the speaker, owed little tC
learning, still less to position and influence
but what a record he left behind Hi,
| genius was Scotch He was Scotland
greatest bard; more than that, he was one
Of the greatest poets the world has eVel
known, and for that reason all the worlt
where the name OF Burns is known joins
Scotland in celebrating the immortal mem
DRY OF Burns. No poet but Burns evel
touched every phase of human life. and
p for that he is loved in cottage and palace
After the address and a selection by tn,
orchestra. @. NJ. Hitchcock made a shor
talk. suggesting that a statue OF Burns b.
p erected in Omaha. On motion the chief wa
empowered 10 name a committee on way
and means for securing such a statue.
AL eneores were then ruled out and Mis-