Burns Nights at the Burns Club of St. Louis TWO ARTISTS OF THE PEOPLE THE BIRTH O' TAM O'SHANTER GENIUS AND GEOGRAPHY THE SCOTCH ACCORDING TO JOHNSON Frederick W. Lehmann ROBERT BURNS, AN IMMORTAL MEMORY Henry King THE MUSE OF ROBERT BURNS LINES TO ST. LOUIS BURNSIANS Edited, with Notes, by Printed for Private Distribution to Lovers of Burns by The Burns Club of St. Louis 1918 THE NEW YORK 330933B ASTOR, LENOX AND R 1945 L THE MEM'RY O' BURNS Wormser 50+ 1945 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." Beside 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, 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." |