The San Francisco call., 1908-08-15
SCOTS CELEBRATE
SCOTS BIRTHDAY
In Song, Poem, Tears and
Cheers Tribute Is Paid to the
Great Novelist and Poet
Mayor Taylor's Verse Received
With Great Enthusiasm
by Big Throng


and the burning enthusiasm charac-
teristic of the Scottish race, members
OF all the Scotch societies Of San Fran
cisco Joined in patriotic celebration of
the I37th birthday of Sir Walter Scott
the great novelist and folk lore poet,
at the Central theater last night.
Big framed highlander and sturdy
| lowIander sat side by side and We'd
with eager response to the stirring
border ballads as sung by Gordon
Mackenzie or huu1med the more tender
tunes of Jock OHazeIdean's and
-swha'll be King but Charlie2' as they
| floated over the big audience.
The ballads as sung by Mrs. NJ E.
| Blanchard with true Scottish intensity
and tenderness echoed in a house so
silent that a pin could have been
/ heard to drop and it was not until the
\ last lingering note had died away that
| perfect hurricanes of applause burst
! forth and handkerchiefs raised to wet
i eyes testified TO olden memories evoked
by q consuR,nate art Mackenzie Cor
don sang first two songs Q fthe north
an old melody, .Loch Lomond- which
was matchless in its pathos and haunt
| ing strains and "Macgregor's Gather
| ing" (Lee1, a rousing song with a
martial rhy thm which stirred Scottish
hearts TO the depths.
The Grafton of the evening on Scott
was delivered by Prof. Henry Morse
Stephens, who spoke of the life and
character of the great novelist, saying
/ that in his estimation while Burns had
/ interpreted Scotchmen to themselves.
Scott had interpreted them to the
world.
Little Amelia Seliars delighted with
an Intricate sword dance, and Pipers
James Lemon and adam Ross played
| march, strathspey and reel that set all
feet tapping
Canto V of THE Lady of the Lake
was read by Hersehel Mayall. and D.
Mcintosh Mckenzie, Robert Med. Muir
ray. David D. McRae and Roliin L Rim
toul danced a highland reel with such
vigor that the rafters quivered-
The societies represented were Clan
Frazer, St. Andrews society and the
Caledonian, Thistle, Burns and Scotia
clubs, last evening being the first time
that all the organizations have united
to do collective honor TO their illus
trious countryman.
James c. Fyfe acted as president of
the evening and introduced Mayor Ed
ward Robeson Taylor, whose appearance
was the signal for saivos Of hand clap
ping and cheers. and he was forced to
gesture for silence before he could
begin the reading of the original poem
composed for and dedicated on this
/ occasion by himself. The poem. which
the heuse, is as follows:
o. Mother Earth. how good tAoa art.
Thou and the Powers that rule in thee.
How wide embracing thy vast heart,
How deep thy deep divinity.
The countless blooms the sun adores.
And all the myriad trees are thine
With streams that WOO the seas and ores
That sleep with gems in rock and mine
The soaring peaks enwrspped in SHOWS.
And mothered by the bending skies
WITH peaceful vales whose soft repese
Folds into rest the worlds harsh cries
And good thou vast TO set apart
The land on every lip tonight
That thrills our every heart OF heart
/. And g1ows maEnihcently bright
The land of science art and song.
OF passion for the nohiy right
Of men and women hFase and strong
| OF embsthed IN fadeless light
The sons that lead material things
Through biossony ways moral ends
And on imaginatiu1's wings
With fsrthest stars become as friends
And one Of these the world has praised
2 Beyond all wealth OF honor's lot
ill Fame with fondest hand has blzzed
His name-the name Of Walter Scott.
What infinite things were his to see
With unfafigued far ranging eye.
What world enchanting gift had he
: 10 dress with life what passed him by.
The very ground beneath his feet
: seemed pulsing with unwonted breath
While every bush he chaRccd 10 meet
Held fairy tribes unknown 10 death.
l The mountain spake to him the moor
The brae. and burn that leaped along
Nor could there be a thing poor
5 That might not hope to swell his song.
Life. life he felt in every vein.
And life he in every scene.
Abundant. throbbing. though his strain
Be weighted oft with noe OF
The r,s~S+-afr~- ,41z- S.x~
a Sang TO his heart with living Voice.
Ann many tale of ~ a MNt
He framed to make the ~orid rejoice.
4 Ina ginstion led him DER
1he fsirsst neias ssy Romance
Where ladies and their knights oatpour
Their hearts amid hash OF sword and lance
The silent dust Of long tonbed men
!, Stirs with fresh life to newer dAy.
And proudly hres on earth again.
t Battles dread trump be nercely fns
: To blsre Il TO tho trembling sky.
And who 80 dull but that he thrills
At Marmion's last expiring cry;
or who SO dyed in peaceFs hue
That cannot feel bis bloed run ire.
Tug to the death with hates desire:
1 or when The proud NscIvor. borne q - sk ~
e. Toward an the tcrfurfHg tools Of death
Stood grnndly amid his hopes uptorn
n And gave king James his latest breath.
. Yet lore and tenderness he bound
About the heart Of women fair.
: And Iesnie Deans. by him encrUwned,
Can Time and al his minions dare.
So Constance. in the hall of doom
Through pAssioDed loves unt0wsrd III,
Shall Ill with light her living tomb.
!, And in her radiance queen II still.
But oh how idle To recount
The stars that hlsze In Scott's vast sky,
: Zen though my Mnse could bresthiess mount
And unvearying pinions 1y.
Not his to build great towers Of gloom
Till Life with all its wonder pals.
l Or bid psychology have room
In Ficfion's vast. palzfial hallss
, Or set some ~rfthing problem there
: Or On a poisoned pens point bfar
The dregs and odal OF the heart:
But be content 10 purely tell
The stories coursinE through his hraiH-
I Where living men and women dwell
Each age age 10 entertain
! The MUSES. biesf him at his birfh.
4 And with melcdions accent said.
: Before thy shrine the Sons OF earth
Shall stand with bowed. uncovered head
: How toled and fnoiied this noble soul,
This gentleman Of high degree.
Without apparent aim or goal
!. Yet bound for Immortality