The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1922-02-02
Burns Club Held Fine Celebration at
a TOwner
Chimney Corner, in Towner,
Jan. "a, 1922.

,x- Chimney Corner, in Towner,
Jan. "a, 1922.
Editor Independent:
Once more the Towner Burns club
has celebrated the Natal day of Bobby
Burns, the poet-plowman Bard of
Scotland, and world wide singer.
This was the 25th celebration, for
it was founded in 1897 in an upstairs
room with four enthusiasts present,
Rev. James Hamilton, born in the Bon
ME Toon of Ayr, his wife, pretty little
Miss Canada, as we all called her,
Miss Nina Foy, one of McHenry
.county's pioneer teachers, and the
secretary, We present scribe, who has
served continuously since.
Mr.. Hamilton sang o a. the Aist
the wind can blow, dearly loe the
West; Ye Banks an Braes O. Bonnie
Doom, which are just mile outside
the Draw Toon o Ayr, and mony
anither bonnie sang, out of the book
of his famous fellow townsman. For
the poet was born in small farm
house just a mile out of Ayr.
How do l know? Well in the
early 'SOs, walked it often during
my vacation from Laurieknowe School
Dumfries, where Burns died and is
buried, and when Judge Murray and
saw the Earl of 1Rosebery unveil
the famous Dumfries Statue of the
Poet which sets broodingly over the
High Street where Burns walked and
talked, and when he captained his
Fencibles, Volunteers, raised and drill
ed to help meet the threatened French
invasion of 1892.
Miss Nina had brot her copy of
Burns, and she read, "a Mans
Man for a. That" with delightful ac-
cent and emphasis. Her mother came
from Kilmaernock, where the first
edition of Burns poems was publish
ed.
And the secretary sat and wonder
ed why her comrade did not shut up
shop and come up stairs as he had
promised to do.
Much water, yes, clear cold water,
has run away under the Bridge of
Time since then.
But our Silver anniversary paled
before the paper produced by our
Past Chief, R "A. Fosc. He read
newspaper clipping of January, 1887,
where Little Mac, j. e. Kenneth Mac
Leod, first editor in Towner, also first
editor in Burlington, calls the roll
of those present, and 10, old faces peer
out of the shadows. For there was
Marjoribanks (call it Marshbanks),
now sitting in the British House of
Lords as Lord Tweeddale, near his
brother-in-law, the Earl of Aberdeen,
who served as Viceroy of Canada and
Lady Aberdeen, came to Towner to
see her BROTHER
And there was Alastair Mckenzie,
the sheep rancher, and Bob Fox, and
many another man of the Mouse River
country Of that day.
But no Ladies!
Well, we'll, that has been the fashion
of Burns Club banquets ever since
Burns met with his brithern of the
Level and the Square in Tarbolton,
and saluted the Haggis, the Chieftain
of the Pudding Race. Dumfries
Burns Club banquets without the lad
les, and the Town Council of that an
Gent city walks solemnly to St. Mich
ael's Kirkyard, to lay wreath Of
immortelles on the Poets. tomb, ev-
cry January 25th.
But indeed, the Gulf Stream keeps
that part Of Scotland warm and cozy,
even in January, and my Lord Pro-
vost and his councillors walk back to
the Midsteeple Building, where cake
and wine are served. No 18th amend
ment over there-yet. .
The ladies meet in the evening in
large hall and hold a glorious con-
cert of Scottish song. Any men pres
ent? Surely-all who can get in.
Even in Detroit, Michigan, where