DEATH OF A GRANDDAUGHTER OF BURNS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2237, 14 January 1897, Page 26

DEATH OF A GRANDDAUGHTER OF BURNS.

A correspondent writes to the Glasgow Herald : — " Many people in Glasgow wad nl over the West of Scotland would observe with surprise s.ed regret the announcement of the death of Margaret Thomson, granddaughter of Robert Burns, and widow of David Wingate, at the residence of her brother, Mr James®- Thomson, Woodsida place, Oosfirnyloof. D*?id Wimgate, so well known an the foremost of. those poets who wrote ia the pure Doric, was twice married His first wife was Janet Oraig, PoUokshawi, who wan the mother of all his children, and a model of a homely Scotchwoman. Her mother, as it happened, was the sister of Mr John Thomson, who married Betty, or Elizabeth, Barno's dsaghter, «o that Margaret Thomson, ibe seoond Mr* Wiogate, was a full causin of the first. We are not quite sure, but we have a vague recollection that Mr Wingate's second marriage was due to a hint dropped in the ear of the poet by his dying wife Janet. At all events, Janet died at Cambuelang in 1878, and three years after, in 1881, Mr Wicgat*? married Margaret .Tbcrason tt«d so cecamr the husband of thf- daughter oi Betty, who was the daughter of Burns, by Anne Park, niece of Mrti Hyslop, of the Globe Tavern, Dumfries Mrs Wingate possessed qualities which in some measure recalled tne character and genius of her grandfather. She was very hsmdsoi&e, stnd had the d«rh, flanhisg eye of the bard, wbom y'r,n resembled 1 ako in a dietktc'i gift, ]e«s ot hucuout thr.u of wit, which flashed out wiib readme^ and precision. Bufore the death of her father and mother the cottage at Shaw lands where they lived was frequently visited by people from all parts of Britain and from other countries, who wiskfcd to look upon the face of the ''urigbier of tbe great poet. Thoy were jJws/fc; sa.f.i*fiyd, tor Mrs Thomson recalled in a more niitcbd degree than any of her poicialts tho Htrong foaturon of her father. We are speaking of a time, over 30 years ago, when we looked upon the kindly and serious old face which carried or back to the great yet tingle days cf Dumfries. But the visitors s&w »,o&»;c£ifii elas batddea Burns's daughter. Thi» wrb Maggie Thomson, im granddaughter, who, if she 'Had not the poetio gift, was endowed in a remarkable degrea with a genius for music. She sang like a lark, and few experts we have heard could surpass her in fiingtag aud interpreting the songs of her grandfather. We can imagine how charmed the bard would have beon had he heard the lyric .voice. The interest in Margaret Thomson did not cease after she became. Mrs Wingate. Visitors still sought her out, eager to look apon the authentic face of one so famously connected. A few year&.before Mr Wingate died several gentlemen from Mane eßt er having toured all though the HighWndß still felt unsati&fied, and retuved to go home without visiting r,he Wirgates at Mount Uottage, Tollcross The visit was in some degree memorable. They' were delighted with Mrs Wingate's sieging ; and one of the Englishmen, who was himselE a rhymer, astonished the household by reciting some of Burns's poems in the pures 1 native Doric. Wben Mr Wingate died in 1892, and ineffectu&l attempt was made to have the poet's pension continued to his widow, bat instead she received a handsome gift from the Grown. Now she also has passed into the silent land, and those who knew her will long remember ' t\\a blithe face and the musical voice that recalled so vividly the man who was the ; glory of the Scottish nation."