The chronicle=news., 1913-01-25
The Life Story of Robert Burns

convivial dissipations which were
destined TO put so premature period
to his life. In 1884 Burns father
ended. at Lochlea, his life of Hire
Quilted toll. and the poet. now the
head of the family. removed to a
larger farm at Mosssiel. in the par
ish of Mauchline. But Burns did not
prosper ms farmer-the Ill luck
that dogRed his father pursued him
in his every venture and thwartcd
all his laborious efforts to exc liv-
Ing from the land. From henccforth
poetry was TO be the only field in
which he was destined TO achieve
success. II was at Mossgiel that he
commenced his acquaintance with
Bonnie Jcan"-.Ican Armour-an
event which coiored all his future
life. impartins 10 It its brightest
lights and deepest shadows. II was
also during his sojourn at MoSsgi"l
that he gave tho world that unparni-
ialcd succession OF poems. The Twa
Herds. The Jolly Begsars'. "'ra"
Cot,cr's Saturday Night. Man Was
Mad. To Mourn. Address To the
Deli. TO n Mountain Daisy. etc.
which for originality. na,uralncss
and whimsical blending OF til"
quaint. sarcastic. humorous and ten
der. unIuestionably cxceilcd any
thing which had appeared since the
time of Shakespeare. Misfortune.
however, were gathering around IN"
poet. His farm had proved fail
ure and his clandestinc connection
with lane Armour had brought nm
grief and shame. His grief had
been further intensified by the death
OF Ills sweetheart. Mary Campb"o,
his immortal Highland Mary. of
, whom he has caused TO he rcmcm-
bcred after death with Dant"'s Hen
tricc aud P"trarch's Laura. Burns
resolved to cmigraie to Jamaica ana
was preparing to embark. when an
, encouraging letter from friend
and patron rckindlcd once again MS
poetic ambition and induced him 4"
try his fortune In Edinburgh. OF
November 2Sih. 1856. Burns reached
the Scottish capital and instantly
became the lion OF the season. He
was courted and caresscd by the wiz
~. the ashiOnnblc and the learned.
and was soon In u fair way OF bccom-
| ing as eminent rs Thomas-n-kcm-
pis or John Bunyan. In 1877 burns
set off on the excursion which was
4
land for the first and only tinc In
his life. and IL Is said that. as ne
| crossed the Tweed. over Coldstrcnm
Bridge, he knclt down on the En-
vlish side and poured forth. uncor-
cred. and with deep emotion. the
beautiful prayer for scotland con-
iaincd in the last two stanzas OF tn"
l"Cottcr's saturday Night.
On returning to Scotland he was
made an honorary burgess OF the
town OF Dumfries. after which he re-
| paired To his native county. ana re-
newcd his intimacy with Jaue Ar.
mour. whom he shortly aftcrwnrd
! married. and again resumed his OLD
occupation as farmer Al Eillsiand
In Ayrshire.
Once more his operations as
farmer failed OF success. and In or
der to supplement his meager re-
sources, he applied for. and obtained.
the appointment OF cxcis"man. II
he could only have made Eilisiand
profitable. Burns might now have
been considered n fortunat" man.
His salary as cNcis.man sufficcd for
his immediate wants. III" scenery
around him was beautiful. and his
reputation attracted visitors from
many quarters. That during this
pcrlod he was not intellectually Idle
syinccd by the fac, that many of
his most enduring works, such ms
his beautiful strain ITO Mary In
| Hcaven'. and his immortal. nnnp-
proachablc Tam O Shanter'. were
composed during the interval OF his
rcsidcnc. nt Eilisland. But his farm
did not pay. and after u brief strug-
gle with his old enemy. Poverty. ne
sold his lease and removed with his
family to Dumfrics. II Is at Dunn
frics that Burns story began to as
sumo a tragic character. He had cN-
changed the delights and beauties
OF the country. for the streets. gos-
sip and dissipation OF third-ratc
Scottish town. Natural inspiration
and piciurcsOueness were taken out
of his life He was never rich. but
now. for the first time. his poverty
began to wear an aspect of painful
ness. Hc became more and more In
volvcd in financial difficulties. and
was constantly harasscd by debt. His
visits to the tavern became more fire.
ruent. his designations more serious.
until his constitution. originally
powerful. collapsed beneath the
strain. But even In this darkest
period Of his life his lyric powers did