Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27
BOOKS AND AUTHORS

IL Is an everlasting disgrace to the peo-
pie of AYR that your correspondent of last
week spoke with truth, regarding the
manner in which Burns is immortaiized
in his native town, runs letter in Il re-
cent issue of r. P.'s Weekly That
there are Burns lovers in Ayr. l do not
de!y. There are Burns lovers every
where but that the majorinty, and a
large majority. of even the reading pub
nc Of Ayr know nothing ard care less
OF Burns | do honestly maintain AS your
correspondent pointed out, the garden of
the cottage is now cultivated till it has
ceased to be worthy of the name and
might be more APPLY and truly termed the
. grounds" / can fancy, could Burns see
the said grounds and these on the Banks
O. Doom" now famed as tea-gardens. he
would repeat. fine, but spoit
with bad taste" 1t is absurd in the face
of such grotesuue changes. to imagine
thdt the banks are being laid out. dotted
with shrubs and iron seats, to be occu-
pants of which latter comes the strains
OF the band and 4 waitress with tea and
sices. II is absurd TO imagine or suggest
that these changes are to the memory
and fame of our poet. 1t is simply and
solely a question of 6 S d. and once that
is decided in a satisfactory manner the
Ayr interest in Burns is at an end AS
your correspond nt also states it is diff
cult to wander along the lonely banks of
AHr tor the entrance close beside the
cemetery is entirely closed. Yet | agree
with him that the winding path on the
other side of the wall is one of the love-
Hest in existence. 1t runs close along the
called because it is said that wien Wal
lace fleeing from the English. jumped the
river, his foot, as he took the splendid
leap. sank deep in the soft ground, and
fresh water Immediately sprang up-along
to Overmills, and on to Mount Shaw and
the Barnes. The river goes Inr miles
through q country so beautiful that only
such a country could have given birth to
such genius, ana only such d genius
could lave sung forth its praises. I trust
that such Ayr people rs read Nh Dun
lopeS letter viii! take it to heart. There is
no necessity to tell the usual tale of the
prophet in his own county. We all know
the truth Of it, but here il is particularly
in evidence. When l was asked some
time ago to contribute to the Burns
Chronicle" |, as an Ayr resident. had the
query aimed at me: What do you know
of 3urns"' l replied simply, "A little less
than the average American. A great deal
more than the average Ayr inhabtant."
could relate numerous stories of the want
of Burns interest in AYR, but | will con-
tent myself with quoting our poets re-
MARKS on persons of the types | mention:
What's a your iargor o. your schools.
Your Latin names for horns and stools,
II honest Nature made you fools,
WHAT SalrS your SrammtrS?
Yc'd better ta'en up spades and shoots,
Or knaprin' hammers.
'TlIe enchanted Castle" a new juvenile
story, cornes already recommended as be-
ing by the author THE Wouldbegoods, =
f.. Ecsbit Bland. 1t is a pure fairy tale,
rs full OF quaint Representatives, as Peter
Pan" The plot tGrns upon the discovery
of Il magic ''wishing-ring' and forthwith
brtatElcss adventures follow. until all
ends happily THE Enchanted Castle"
possesses. in a very high degree, the true
child quality and the true dream quality
and the oldsters will enjoy it quite as
heartily as will the children (Ncw York
Harper & Brothers)
Fred M. White. the author of "The
Crimson Hind, etc, is the most popular
writer of serial stories in England to-day
His American audience is steadily grow
ing larger. and there will be many eager
readers to greet his new mystery story.
''I HI. Five X not ~ 70 hc oh o,,t in,
May b. Little, Brown & Company. '"rhe
Five Knots" describes the attempts of
two Malays to procure n vast. hidden
treasure from wealthy London ship
owner. and their strange practices upon
him by means of the "blue terror and a
string with five knots This story has
great originality in plot. and is unusually
fertile in interesting and unique stua-
tons.
M. Neil Munro the Scottish novelist
who is also a Glasgow editor has been
accorded the degree of LID by Glasgow
University Mr. Munro is best known in
this country as the author of the novel
Bud" the story Of n modern and lively
American child suddenly descending upon
a Gtaid Scotch village. A rather uncom-
mon experience has befalIen Bud. which
was Harper publication of several
month agO-that of becoming more popu-
lar each month thar it was the month be-
fore. Or the other side of this water
this same book is known as "The DAFT
Days" '"The most distinguished Scottish
represented i've of the Celtic revival" the
University called Mr.. Munro in making
the pro sentation
Tho writings of Kate Douglas Wiggin
have deserved an cnviahle popularity with
Old and young. That her stories appeal
strongly both to roys ana girls is shown
by their vide circulation as library books
In nal in:, some of the best of these sto-
ries available in the Riverside Literature
Series for general use in the schools
Hpughton Miftin & Company have fur
nishod the opportunity for every hoy and
girl tC feel the charm of Mrs Virgins
stories. ana to make the acquaintance of
the delightful characters that her im2g-
ination has created. The Flag RAISING
is made up of some typical experiences in