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AYR. On the 21st the Trustees beautifully decorated the Burns Cottage and Monument at Ayr. Two arches with wreaths of white flowers spanned the entrance to the monument, while a fine large arch was thrown over the roof of the cottage, an engraving of the Poet being in the middle, and the letters "R. B." on either side. Evergreens festooned the front of the cottage, and inside, the bed was decorated with a garland of rosebuds.

BERWICK.-The Burns centenary was celebrated at Berwick by open-air and indoor demonstrations. The Mayor and Corporation marched to the Ramparts, and opened a new stairway leading thence to the sea and Berwick pier. An openair concert by the local musical societies and bands followed. A banquet succeeded, and the chief speaker was Mr. William Jacks, the member for Stirlingshire, author of "Burns in other Tongues." The celebration drew large crowds.

ALYTH.-The members of the Alyth Burns Club celebrated the hundredth anniversary of the Poet's death by supping together in the Commercial Hotel on the evening of the 21st. The function was attended by a large representation of the local admirers of the Poet. Mr. John Smith, president, presided, and Mr. Reid and Bailie Geddes were croupiers. After supper, the Chairman gave the toast of the "Immortal Memory," which was drunk in silence. The remainder of the evening was most pleasantly spent in song and sentiment.

HADDINGTON.-On the 21st, the members of this club marked the anniversary in a unique and appropriate manner. The party drove to Grant's Braes, the site of the house once occupied by the Poet's mother, and by his brother, Gilbert Burns, when factor on the Blantyre estate. The original house is not now standing, and the walls at present visible are the ruins of a more recent erection, which was destroyed a few years ago by fire. The party then proceeded to Bolton, where, in the village churchyard, Burns's mother, Gilbert Burns, and several of his family are interred within a modest little railed enclosure, the spot being also marked by a plain headstone. Here, in the name of the president of the club, Bailie Cunningham, the Rev. Mr. Dempster read an appropriate address, bearing reference to the connection of the Burns family with the county, touching

upon the character of the Poet's mother, the beauty of his home, as delineated in the "Cottar's Saturday Night," and the recognition of his fame evidenced by the anniversary celebrations. The president, thereafter, in the name of the club, laid a beautiful wreath containing sprays of Lammermoor heather and a Scottish thistle upon the grave. A telegraphic

message expressive of fraternal wishes was despatched to the Dumfries gathering. At a subsequent meeting the club enjoyed the hospitality of the president, whose health was duly honoured. Thereafter the party enjoyed a drive through scenes more or less directly connected with the residence of Gilbert Burns in the district. The arrangments were in the hands of the secretary (Mr. R. A. Dakers) and committee. There is yet alive in Haddington, in the person of Mr. James Robb, ex-gas manager, one who well recollects having seen Gilbert Burns. Readers of the letters of Jane Welsh Carlyle, who is buried in the Parish Church, Haddington, will recollect her intimacy with, and fond recollections of, the Burns's home at Grant's Braes.

LANGHOLM.—In Langholm, the Burns enthusiasm did not show itself in so marked a manner as in the other Dumfriesshire towns, though its Burns Clubs have been for some years the most active perhaps in the South of Scotland. The Freemasons were the only organisation which arranged to make a processional show. It had been resolved to send a deputation from the municipal authority, but the project fell through, and Provost Thomson attended the Dumfries demonstration in his private capacity. The town's flag floated halfmast at the Town Hall.

JEDBURGH.-The Jedburgh Burns Club, on the evening of the 21st, met in the Royal Hotel to commemorate the centenary of the death of the National Poet. After supper, Mr. L. G. M'Donald, the president, proposed the "Immortal Memory of Burns," and, in doing so, said that Burns had been sent into the world to proclaim old truths in a heartconstraining manner. Among the other toasts were "The Memory of Bonie Jean," "The Associates of Burns," "The Heroines of Burns," "The Brotherhood of Man," and "Our Native Land." During the evening several of Burns's songs and readings were given.

AIRDRIE. A centenary celebration dinner was given in the County Buildings, Airdrie, on the evening of the 21st, under the auspices of the Airdrie Burns Club. Mr. William Thomson, B.L., president, occupied the chair, and was supported by Sheriff Mair, Provost Arthur, and members of the Town Council. The gathering was a large and highly representative one. Mr. Thomson delivered an appreciative address on Burns, and, in name of the local Burns Club, presented to the Airdrie Free Public Library a copy of the Nasmyth portrait of the Poet, which is hung in the National Gallery, Edinburgh. The copy was by Ramsay Russell, Edinburgh.

BURNS MEMORIAL AND COTTAGE HOMES AT MAUCHLINE.

LAYING OF

FOUNDATION-STONE.

T

HE ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of the Burns Memorial was made the occasion of a great demonstration at Mauchline, on Thursday, 23rd July, which was observed as a "high day and holiday," and the town was gaily decorated. Visitors were first struck with the display at the railway station. Woodside, the residence of Mr. Marcus Bain, and the Ballochmyle Quarries, were tastefully set off with bunting. In Loudoun Street there was an immense amount of fluttering colour. The entrance to Mauchline Castle, where Gavin Hamilton lived, was very tastefully decorated with dark holly and crimson cloth. From the Parish Church to the Co-operative Store there was a long line of streamers. At the entrance to the Cowgate, where Jean Armour lived, a neat floral arch spanned the street, and in Earl Grey Street, New Road, and other places the form of decoration was somewhat similar. The houses where Mary

Morison and Jean Armour lived had their doors prettily decked with flowers. Altogether, the display was highly creditable to the enthusiasm and artistic taste of the townspeople.

The mustering ground of the procession was the football field, and here Sergeant Giles, of the Ayrshire Yeomanry,

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rendered excellent service as marshal. The procession was formed in the following order :

Marshal.

Newmilns Brass Band.

Mounted Ploughmen, preceded by Plough of Burns Period, with

Ploughman in Dress of Period.

Architect and Contractors.

Lady Alexander and Party.

President and Distinguished Guests.

Patrons.

Committee.

Members of Glasgow Mauchline Society.

Subscribers.

Burns Clubs.

2nd V.B.R.S.F., preceded by Band.
Provincial Grand Master.

Masonic Lodges in following order,

Lodges represented outwith the Province of Ayrshire :

Metropolitan District, Lanarkshire Middle Ward, Renfrewshire West), Stirlingshire, Renfrewshire (East), Canterbury (New Zealand), Dumbartonshire, Oxfordshire.

AYRSHIRE LODGES:

Mother Kilwinning, No. o; St. John, Maybole, No. 11; Kilwinning Greenock, No. 12; St. John Kilwinning, Kilwinning, Kilmarnock, No. 22; Loudoun Kilwinning, Newmilns, No. 51; St. James, Newton, Ayr, No. 125; St. David, Mauchline, No. 133; St. James, Tarbolton, No. 135; St. Andrew, Irvine, No. 149; Thistle and Rose, Stevenston, No. 169; St. John Kilwinning, Largs, No. 163; Royal Arch, Maybole, No. 198; St. Thomas, Muirkirk, No. 281; St. Paul, Ayr, No. 204; St. Barnabas, Old Cumnock, No. 230; St. Andrew, Glenbuck, No. 245; Blair, Dalry, No. 200; St. Peter, Galston, No. 331; St. John, New Cumnock, No. 334; St. John, Catrine, No. 497; St. Matthew Kilwinning, Dreghorn, No. 594; Bonnie Doon, Patna, No. 565; Ferguson St. James, Dailly, No. 566.

Masonic Office- Bearers, with Emblems.

British Order of Ancient Free Gardeners in the following order :Worthy Master, West of Scotland District; Kilmarnock District; Rose of Ballochmyle, Mauchline; Ayr Daisy; Olive Branch, Beith; British Fern, Kilmarnock; Vine, Galston; Glaisnock Lily, Old Cumnock; Catrine Thistle; Rose of Wellwood, Muirkirk; Dailly Olive; Maybole Olive; Lowly Hyssop, Crosshill; Craigston Lily, Lugar.

Carriage with Weavers and Flag.

Good Templars.

Boys' Brigade.

Smiths.

Coachbuilders.

Boxmakers.
Quarrymen, etc.

It was more than a mile in length, and took nearly half-an-hour to pass a given point. With due appropriateness the ploughmen occupied the place of honour. They were headed by a lorry on which was a ploughman dressed in the costume of the Burns period, and guiding an old-fashioned plough. The bottom of the lorry was laid with daisy-bespangled turf, part of which was turned over in furrow. The employees of

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