Burns Nights ACROSS the upper front of the quaint House of the Artists' Guild is the long, vaulted chamber of the Burns Club of St. Louis. It is a reproduction of the living room of the Burns Cottage at Ayr. In this chamber the members of the club assemble on the twenty-fifth of January to keep the anniversay of the birth of the poet and at such other times as special meetings may be called. With few exceptions the articles which furnish the room are associated with the memory of Burns. Portraits of the Burns family, pictures of the places made famous by the writings of Burns, facsimiles of the letters and poems of Burns cover the walls. In one end of the chamber is the huge, old-fashioned chimney and fireplace, with a spinning wheel and reel of the Armour family in the corner. The opposite corner contains a sideboard of ancient pattern on the shelves of which are arranged plates and bowls and ashets of the days of Burns. But there are other things in the chamber which give even more "atmosphere." Be side the fireplace, as if ready for immediate use, hang the iron holder of "Bonnie Jean," and the griddle on which the cakes were baked over the coals. One of the tables was owned by Burns when he lived at Dumfries, another table was in the Tam o' Shanter Inn and a third table was made of wood from St. Michael's Church at Dumfries. A little chair was the favorite seat of Burns when he was a child. The milking stool of “Bonnie Jean," an eight-day clock one hundred and thirty-five years old,—these and many other relics are treasured by the club. Burns Nights of the Burns Club of St. Louis pass all too quickly. No two of them are alike but there are some features which are never omitted. None of these Burns Nights passes without additions to the Burnsiana of the club, to be inspected and discussed. After the assembling in the chamber, the guests and members go down to the rathskeller and take their places at the long table. They stand while the president pronounces the Burns grace. Usually there is present at least one clergyman. The look upon the face of this guest is a study as President Bixby seriously intones: "Some hae meat and nae can eat, And some there be that want it, 335419 Them William Porteous, the glorious singer of the club, gives "Afton Water," or something of like beautiful sentiment from the Scotch. In the early service of the dinner President Bixby rises to recall that on June 23rd, 1785, Robert Burns addressed his famous farewell to the brethren of St. James' Lodge, Tarbolton. This message holds good on the anniversary of Burns' birth with all Burns clubs: "A last request permit me here To him, the Bard that's far awa." The members of the club stand and drink to "the Bard that's far awa." Before he is allowed to take his seat, Mr. Porteous sings, it may be "Duncan Gray." Then follow in rapid succession such readings from Burns as “Address to the Unco Guid," letters of greeting from other Burns Clubs, Scotch stories. In Scott H. Blewett the club has a reader of rare native power, who brings out the full sentiment and beauty of the Scotch dialect. Again and again Mr. Porteous is brought to his feet and leads the club in singing "Scots Wha Hae," "Coming Through the Rye," "O-a the Airts," "Red, Red Rose," "Ye Banks and Braes," "John Anderson, My Joe," "My Nannie's Awa," "A Man's a Man for a' That," and so on through a soul-stirring range of Scotch melodies. At the proper stage of the dinner haggis is brought in and passed around the table, a piper playing the bagpipes. Scotch cakes are at every plate. After the dinner come the more formal proceedings, the address of the evening and the comments thereon by the members and guests. Burns Night closes invariably with guests and members assembled again in the club room, hands joined and all singing "Auld Lang Syne." IN The Club's Burnsiana Na strong box is preserved the club's growing and invaluable collection of literary Burnsiana. Here are the manuscripts, or original typewritten copies, of the addresses and poems which have made the Burns Nights of the club historic. Among them: "Burns and Religion," by Rev. Dr. William C. Bitting; "Burns, the World Poet," by William Marion Reedy; "Burns and English Poetry," by Professor J. L. Lowes; "Burns and the Prophet Isaiah," by Judge M. N. Sale; "Burns and the Auld Clay Biggin," by Frederick W. Lehmann; "Lines to Burns," by Chang Yow Tong, of World's Fair fame; "To Robert Burns," by Orrick Johns; "To the Bard of Auld Lang Syne," by Professor James Main Dixon; "Robert Burns," by Willis Leonard McClanahan. The collection of the club's publications includes the large book of "Poems and Letters in the Handwriting of Robert Burns, Reproduced in facsimile through the courtesy of William K. Bixby and Frederick W. Lehmann;" and the two smaller books, "Burns Nights in St. Louis," and "Nights wi' Burns in St. Louis." The latest addition to the contents of the strong box was made at the annual meeting of 1917. It is a dainty, privately-printed book containing in facsimile Burns' poem "To Mary in Heaven," with an introduction by William K. Bixby, who possesses the original manuscript of this "the most beautiful of all the lyrics of Burns and one of the most celebrated poems ever written." From John Gribbell, of Philadelphia, the Burns Club of St. Louis received one of the few copies in facsimile of the Glenriddell Manuscripts. As he announced the gift and laid before the members for their delighted inspection the two precious volumes, President Bixby told this reminiscence of his own relationship to the famous collection of Glenriddell manuscripts: "A dealer in rare books brought to my summer home on Lake George the original Glenriddell Manuscripts of Burns. I had seen in the newspapers accounts of the sale of these Manuscripts by the Liverpool Athenaeum and of the storm of condemnation from all Scotland-the calling of public meetings to institute legal proceedings to compel the recovery of the Manuscripts. The dealer said to me that the collection had been consigned to him to get it away from England and that it was for sale. He left the two volumes with me for several days. When he returned I told him that for my own use I would as soon purchase the painting of Mona Lisa, which had been stolen recently from the Louvre, as I should feel that I had to apologize for having the collection in my possession. I suggested to the dealer the name of a person in Philadelphia who might be interested in the volumes for a large college to which the family had given a very valuable library. The dealer started for Philadelphia, but sold to Mr. Gribbell. The whole world knows the splendid use that Mr. Gribbell has made of the Manuscripts, giving the originals to remain alternate years in Glasgow and Edinburgh until a more permanent place may be provided." The history of the Glenriddell Manuscripts is one more apt illustration of the esteem, increasing with time, for all that is associated with Burns. In 1796, after the death of Burns, his friends arranged for a publication of the life and works of the poet for the benefit of the widow and children. From various sources letters and manuscript poems were assembled and delivered to Dr. Currie, who was chosen to prepare the book. Dr. Currie agreed "that whatever was done as to the returning any letters, papers, etc., should be considered the act of the widow and transacted in her name." The Currie edition of Burns was issued in 1800. Dr. Currie died without returning the Glenriddell Manuscripts. These papers were in two volumes. The volumes were entitled: "Poems and Letters written by Mr. Robert Burns and selected by him from his unprinted collection for Robert Riddell, Esq., of Glenriddell." As an introductive to the volumes Burns wrote: "As this collection almost wholly consists of pieces, local or unprinted fragments, the effusion of a poetical moment, and bagatelles strung in rhyme simply pour passer la temps, the author trusts that nobody into whose hands it may come will, without his permission, give or allow to be taken, copies of anything here contained; much less to give to the world at large, what he never meant should see the light. At the gentleman's request, whose from this time it shall be, the collection was made; and to him, and I will add to his amiable lady, it is presented, as a sincere though small tribute of gratitude for the many happy hours the author has spent under their roof. There, what Poverty even though accompanied with Genius must seldom expect to meet with in the circles of fashionable life, his welcome has ever been the cordiality of Kindness and the warmth of Friendship. As |