Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-17

ing many of his manuscripts and other
relics, similar to that at Ayr. his BIRTH
place. There is third museum at
Mauchline. where he married Jean Ar
mour. and spent several years trying to
be d farmer.
About five miles above Dumfres. on the
bank of Solway Firth. is Ellsland. the
farm upon which Burns made his last
desperate effort to accomplish something
besides writing poetry. But the soil was
poor he was unaccustomed to hard labor.
he had no power of application. and with
in three years everything about the place
had gone to rack and ruin. He and his
family were turned out of their home by
the foreclosure of the mortgage. and he
came to Dumfries, where he got an ap-
pointment as a gauger in the excise de-
part ment OF the government.
The house in which he lived and died. on
ST Michael street. is quite as small and
quite as humble as that at Ayr. in which
he was born. The neighborS gave him a
decent funeral and provided for the
modest wants of his family until his sons
were able to support themselves. His re-
mains were originally buried in the
ground I'm the north corner of the ceme-
terry, with a simple stone to mark the
place. but in 1915. nineteen years after his
death. they were removed to the impos-
ing but ugly mausoleum, which was
erected by subscription, as a tribute to his
genius, at cost of nearly $4,000. a great
deal of money in those days.
The Burns residence is owned by the
town council and is in charge of the
granddaughter and eat-granddaughter
of the poet. They receive n small an
nuity for looking after it. and make a lit
tie more by selling postcards, photographs
and other souvenirs.
Gray Friars' Church is an ancient
structure. before whose altar Robert the
Bruce assassinated Rey Comyn. his
cousin and his competitor for the throne
OF Scotland.
Gretna Green the Lovers Mecca.
About nine miles north of Carlisle is
Gretna Green. where runaway marriages
used to occur in large numbers until
1856. when Lord Brougham secured the
passage of an act requiring a residence
OF twentyone days in the parish imme-
diately preceding the marriage. Since
then the unnatural prosperity of Gratna
Green has vanished, and it is Il
sleepy. insignificant village of a few hun
dred inhabitants. without anything to in
terest the traveller except traditions of
the strange things that occurred there.
The laws-of Scotland relating to mar
riage and divorce are still very lax. and
recognize valid a marriage without
further ceremony than the expressed con-
sent of both parties in the presence of
witnesses.
The British house of commons in 1853
passed an act making severe regulations
and requirements for the marriage cere-
mony. which put a stop to prolific
source of scandal in England and espe-
cialIy In London. The consequence was
that clippers and others who could not or
did not wish to be honestly married took
advantage Of the loose laws of Scotland
and came to Gretna Green, which is few
hundred yards over the border. The first
house north of the boundary line on the
main road was kept by a blacksmith, who
performed thousands of ceremonies with
handsome profits. He kept a register
gave certificates and became famous. He
was an ignorant, vulgar, blasphemous
boor, who could scarcely read or write
and could not spell correctly. One of his
certificates. which is published in the
history of Gretna Green, reads as fol-
lows:
"Gritnay-green June 10. 1856. This is to
certfay to all persons that may be
scurned that Charles Blount from Sails
burey and Elisbith Wycike from the same
phase both comes before me and declares
themselves to be single persons and is
now married by me by the way of the
Church of Scotland on day and dat abuve
mention. David McPharson."
Occa sionally q silly couple comes to
Gretna Green today to be married sim
ply for a lark and to get a certificate
from one of the parsons. but even that
is not common nowadays.
Marriage and Divorce Easy.
The Scottish law recognizes any kind
of marriage. and divorce is equally easy.
Either husband or wife may obtain de-
cree on the ground of desertion for four
years 1t is not necessary to prove that
either has been unfaithful. or to show
cruelty, non-support or Ill usage, nor to
give any Of the other Qualifications that
are usually required in civilized countries
1t must be shown that desertion is ma
licious and voluntary. Absence on bust
ness. the cruise of a sailor. foreign serv-
ice in the army or navy, the require
ments of commercial and Industrial travel
in foreign lands cannot be made a cause
for divorce. but voluntary separation is
sufficient, and it has been held that
husband may be guilty of desertion. al
though he continues to support his wife
and supply her with money.
What We understand a Scotch mar
riage, however, is just as disreputable
here as it would be anywhere, and is
known as IAN irregular marriage" Re-
spectacle people are expected to publish
their bans and have a public ceremony
by clergyman in the presence OF their
families and friends, just in the
United States or any other country, but
that is not necessary in Scotland.
Public Opinion Very Tolerant.
By the laws of that country marriage
Is a simple contract requiring no par
ticular solemnity. nor even written evil
dence. but only a deliberate and uncon-
ditional consent OH the part of both
parties. There is no requirement as to
the consent of parents or guardians; no
license is necessary. There is no age
limit. no necessity of publication and no
ecclesiastical benediction. not even the
sanction of civil magistrate. If a man
and woman live together as man and
wife and are reputed to be such by their
neighbors and acquaintances. no cere-
mont is necessary. The very act of
living together is accepted by the courts
as conclusive evidence of marriage. Any
man or woman who shall declare in the
presence of witnesses that they are man
and wife or acknowledge that they are
such need take no further trouble. They
car accomplish their own wedding by
themselves without witnesses simply by
signing an agreement. but. of course. that
agreement must be registered or made
public in some way in order to have
in the courts.
There are periodical aGitatons 10 Sc
cure a reform in the marriage and di-