and the ground on which it was built were now the property of the Club. In a sense it was now classic soil on which they were met, for it was certain that on that little hillock before them there once stood the dwelling-place of the poet Lapraik. Here, amongst stones, lime, and debris, were found Lapraik's hearthstone and other articles which belong only to a dwelling-house. Mr Fairbairn next explained everything about the erection of the cairn, which has been built chicfly from the stones found in the site of

Lapraik's house.

Amongst those of the members wl.o had taken a practical interest in the building he could easily single out Mr Thomas Weir, who was responsible for the plans adopted to keep everything safe in the jar, built within the Cairn, and he expected Mr Weir's plans would prove most effectual. In the jar there were the following:-(1) History of the Lapraik Burns Club, No. 56 of the Burns Federation, by their secretary, Mr Hugh Bell; (2) two Muirkirk Advertisers; (3) Abstracts of the Parish Council and School Board for 1913-14; (4) two of the Club's greetings, 1904, 1914; (5) a piece of wood from the Auld Brig of Ayr, from James Clark, Esq., Crossflatt; (6) Muirkirk in Bygone Days, by J. G. A. Baird, Esq. of Wellwood. In his closing remarks the President explained that "when we honour a countryman we do credit to ourselves."

Mr Thomas Weir, the father and poet-laureate of the Club, expressed great pleasure in being there, where, 129 years ago, "honesthearted auld Lapraik " had his home. Mr Weir repeated all the Epistles betwixt Lapraik and Burns in his own surpassing style, and referred to the meeting of the poets in 1785. Our poet was the oldest in the list of the Contemporaries of Burns, and he was much beloved by the National Poet for his sterling qualities. indeed, Burns's model in "A man's a man, for a' that." Mr Weir then took the Scottish lion from the inscription on the monument, remarking that whilst “ Ayr runs gurgling to the sea generations yet unborn would bless the memory of Lapraik, and perhaps the men, too, who had raised this monument.

He was,

Mr C. P. Bell traced in pretty full detail the history of the Lapraik family since La Privick bought Dalfram. His greatgrandson, the “ sclandered man,” is mentioned in Muirkirk in Bygone Days as living in 1661. His son, again, and the father of the poet,

is also mentioned there in connection with the Session's minutes of 1704. The poet was born in 1727, and died in 1807. Mr Bell mentioned about the Post Office, the mail route at that time to Douglas Mill, Lapraik's son who was farmer in Darnhunch, and another son of the poet, Cooper Lapraik," who was seized by the British press-gang at Irvine, and was long a prisoner in France. The farmer in Darnhunch had a son John (Baker Lapraik), whom many of those present remembered quite well.

He

Mr Pringle briefly described the formation of the Lapraik Burns Club twenty-one years ago, and gave its history up to date. was glad to say that it had prospered all that time, and mentioned several of its chief supporters, many of whom had gone the way of all the earth. The Club had always taken a great interest in the welfare of the young, and in their education-relative to the songs and literature of Burns.

Mr H. Bell, the Secretary, proposed a vote of thanks to J. G. A. Baird, Esq., of Wellwood. He was Hon. President of the Club, and had most willingly granted the site to the Cairn, and fully expected that his successors in the Wellwood Estate would respect his motive and allow full access to the monument. This vote of thanks was enthusiastically accorded.

Mr Scott of Dalfram, Mr Jas. Anderson, Mr Porter, Mr Brown, and several others who had assisted and given every facility in carrying out the work, also received due thanks.

Finally, Mr Fairbairn, to whom the practical outcome of the grand idea is mostly due, received a hearty cheer for his services.

The company then encircled the large tree and the monument, and, clasping hands, sang 'Auld Lang Syne."

66

At a convenient height on the Cairn is fixed a brass tablet, upon which the following is inscribed inside a neat border, the two top corner-pieces being each formed by a Scotch thistle, whilst the plough occupies a prominent position at the bottom of the inscription:

"This Cairn was erected, A.D. 1914,

By the Lapraik Burns Club of Muirkirk,

To mark the spot where stood the house of' Bauld Lapraik,'
The friend of Robert Burns, the Poet.

But if the beast and branks be spar'd
Till kye be gaun without the herd,
An' a' the vittel in the yard

An' theekit right,

I mean your ingle-side to guard
Ae winter night."

C. P. BELL.

THE SAINT OF SCOTTISH BROTHERHOOD.

"St. Andrew as patron Saint is vague, his personality a tradition; he is a stranger and sectarian at that; it is to Robert Burns that Scotsmen cling for memories of Home-a countryman, and bone of their bone."

-Sir JAMES SIVEWRIGHT, at Albany Burns
Club, 1914.

Go seek of a Scot a picture to paint

Of who in his heart is his patron Saint

He hankers a moment, one moment maybe,
When swift to his vision there loometh up he
Whose wisdom and solace are sought for in turns,
And he cannot resist but-canonize BURNS!

He knows of the tall and striking form,
Full of the life that made life warm;
He knows of the large and shapely head
Full of the thoughts true thinking bred;
And the glowing heart that awoke the night
With echoes of love as a new delight

No memory spurns

(Though none may map the noble mind
Where song and sense were so entwined,
Nor Science' self do more than trace
How were evolved the gifts and grase
Of Robert Burns).

He knows the wholesome, lowly hearth
Which to his countryman gave birth;

He knows the pastures of his youth

Where he rough-grazed the tussock Truth;

He knows his thoughts, the worst and best,

So generous and self-confessed;

He knows no manlier man than he,

Of MAN the full epitome;

And loves him with the love he taught,

Bone of his bone, a brother Scot!

W. C.

HIGHLAND MARY.

CHRONOLOGY OF THE EPISODE.

REVIOUS to 1850, the Highland Mary Episode in Burns's life had neither beginning nor ending; after that date, the conclusions of Mr Scott Douglas, following on a re-examination of the dates, led to the fixing of Sunday, the 14th day of May, 1786, as the absolute date of its ending. The proof adduced was the note appended to the song "My Highland Lassie, O " in Cromek's Reliques, which purported to be a literal transcript of the MS. note by Burns in the volume known as the "Glenriddel Interleaved copy of Johnson's Muscum."* Referring to the Reliques, we find the day and the month pointedly indicated, but the year is not specified. The year 1786 was adopted by Scott Douglas on the prima facie assumption that the Poet's songs in honour of Highland Mary were composed during the period of his proposed emigration, after the rupture with the Armours. But when Mr James Dick, of Newcastle, re-discovered the Glenriddel volume, in 1908, after a period of closest seclusion extending over 100 years, it was found that the leaf containing the note on "My Highland Lassie, O" was "cut out or missing," along with sixteen others; consequently Cromek is the only witness left for the authenticity of the note, which has been copied and utilised without question by every writer on Burns from 1808 down to the present day. The loss of these leaves might not have mattered much had Cromek inspired confidence in his editorial conscientiousness and reliability in his handling of the rest of the volume; but this is not the case. Mr Dick, with the original before

*This must not be confounded with the other Glenriddel volume presented by Mr Gribbel to the Scottish nation.