The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-26
Celebration Of l5Oth Ami.
yersary Of Poets Birth
BY BURNS CLUB IN BARRE
Big Event Was Held in woodmen's
Hall Last Evening---A Tribute
Paid in Address by James P.
Marr.

Continuing its annual custom, the
Burns club Of Barre last evening cele'
brated the anniversary OF Robert Burns'I
birth with banquet and tributes 70
the poets memory and with song and
dance. The occasion was notable be.
cause IL was the one hundred and fiftieth
anniversary Of the birth Of Burns. The
celebration was held in Woodmen's hall
and was attended by nearly the full
membership Of the club and ladies. Be-
ginning with the dancing OF Scottish
reel to the music Of the bagpipe, the
party entered quickly into the spirit OF
the occasion, and there was no lct-up in
the enjoyment Of the occasion from that
time until the singing Of "Auld Lang
Synev at an early hour this morning.
Following the Scotch reel at the opening
came a number OF songs and speeches,
and at 10 o'clock the banquet. This
was enliyened with more songs and
speeches. The banquet was excellent and
the program presented was more than
usually pleasing and interesting, no part
Of 1t being more so than the tribute OF
J. P. Mari to the memory Of Burns. The
program as carried out was as follows:
welcome by the president, Edward Ches-
ser; quartet, "There Was a Lad Was
Born in Kyle Misses Barbara Duncan
and Annie Anderson, Robt. Inglis and
James Anderson; toast, Burns, j. p.
Mari: song, aGaa Bring tae Me a Pint
% Wine,p Jas. Booth; song, Miss Bar
bara Mcdonald; toast, Scotland, James
Mackay; song, VIM. Brown; song, Mrs.
James Laurie; reading, Mrs. Robert In
glis; dance. BY Miss Grace Barclay; "Ode
to Haggis,s recited by Alex. Smith; !;
toast, America John Stephen; song,
Star Spangled Banner dance, Robert
Stewart; song, "Afton Water Miss An
ME Anderson; toast, Ladies" VIM.
Brown: song. Aud Lang Syne.D
In his tribute to the memory Of Burns,
Mr. Mari said,
Tribute to Burma
"A hundred and fifty years have been
entombed within the grave OF time since
by Alloway's aud haunted kirk the
genius Of the Scottish muse was born.
In a rude hut, by a lonely roadside,
amidst the howlings Of the wintry blast
and the falling Of the cottages clay
built walls, loves sweetest bard was
born, Christ was born In stable
Lincoln in rude log cabin, Burns In a
clay-built cot, and the world knows no
sweeter names. Others may be esteemed
and revered, these three are loved and
adored in the hearts of men.
"Of all song birds who have trilled
their wood notes wild, Burns was in.
spired the most. Other poets may have
surpassed him in intellectual ability and
dramatic effect, but in touching the finer
chords OF humanity's heart. in giving ex.
preston to the heart throbs and puisa-
tions Of the poor, in maintaining the
dignity Of man with soai erect, IN his
bursts Of passion, pathos and love, Burns
reached the anne Of human effort. Wo-
manhood has been ennobIed hy his songs,
manhood exalted BY his spirit, and hui
manity broadened by his sympathies.
He tore the robe from hypocrisy and
the mask from deceit, he softened reli-
gion and purified song, he gave express
sion to the torn hearts wall against
mans inhumanity to man. be taught
the world to love the humble things Of
nature and made beautiful the common
place. The crushed daisy, the wounded
hare and the hapless mouse in him have
found voice lie gave to the trees
their language Of beauty and the streams
their songs of melody--and this IL the
singer whose anniversary we eommem.
crate tonight, whose songs are as sweet
as the scented heather in his own loved
Scotland and pure ais the dew that hangs
on its purple bells. His love songs came
from the heart in all the warmth, beau
ty and freshness of love itself. To-day
1t is MY Mamie, Charming, Sweet and
Young, or Jennie Jeffrey's 'Twa lovely
cen o. bony blue tomorrow it win Be
the Bonnie Lass O Ballochmyle,' or
Lovely Mary Morrison Clarinda called
forth his intsnsest passion, Highland
Mary his tenderest pathos, and Bonnie
Jean his sweetest strain, and when the
curtain OF death was closing around him
forever, he thrust it aside for one brief
moment to pour out his soul in song,
20 Vert Thou in the Cauld Blast, and
died wrapped in loves mantle of immor-
tally.
WHO has ever read his love songs
without feeling the heart beats quicken9
The equisite sweetness, the sublime sim
plicity Of his lays and lyrics cannot be
too highly praised or too warmly appre-
ciated. They contain all that is noble
and true, all that is lovable in nature
and appreciative in art, they bespeak
the finest sentiments that can animate
the human mind and make it all the
more genual to friendship and God like
in its nature. His songs have made the
bonds of friendship sweeter. kindled the
spirit Of true manhood, softened the
sorrows Of age, and we love linn to-day:
'sFor the burdens he hath lightened,
For the lives that he hath frightened,
And the souls that he hath whitened
BY his song.
s'Ncws 'kneeling down to Heavens etcr.
nal king while the saint. the father
and the husband prays; nov laughing
in uproarous mirth at the Jolly Beg
gars. as he pictures their jovial quorum,
or touched BY a stronger chord that
vibrates Though the universal mind, no
matter whate'er the complexion. or
whate'er the race. that feeling which
tells a man in whatever station OF what
..--. s..ba~o rnha4h hars n1aH n khn tran.