Burns's "Bonnie Jean."

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXIX, Issue 12111, 4 July 1903, Page 1 (Supplement)

Burns's "Bonnie Jean."

;\; V:. NOTES AND ANECDOTES. '■ ';;';.- i'i On the:26th of March 1834^at;the '- hour 6' niclii's black arch the; keystone;" Jean wife of our nationalpqet, " crossed "t£e bar," and oh':the Ist' of April her remains were laid to rest beside those of her illustrioushusband, in the mausoleura, in Dumfries..■'.;:■ It was on. the occasion of the mausoleum'being opened for this interment that the matrix of the cast of Burns' head was taken. Burns left her the mantle oi 'his 'fame;''and' for close on 40 Jyeajs "she enjoyed the sheltering kindness of ■* 'that mantle. ; Thousands of people in all ranks of life visited'-her, and to all;she accorded, a kindly "welcomed ' She had many outstanding points in her character worthy of. remembrance by her country-women. One\was her strong independence. When Burns. returned from■: Edinburgh'•; with the fruits of his genius, he generously relieved his brother Gilbert, of a burden of debts, and after .Burns' early demise ' Gilbert; touched with sympathy, for his brother's widow and her young family, hastened to repay the money which'had been so freely given, but Mrs Burns would have none of it,holding that Robert meant it J as a' gift to Gilbert, i /iAgaih, when 'Mr'-Maule; of Panmure (afterwards Lord Panmure) accorded\Mrs Burnsvan annuity out of. his : !cHvTi'puise,'%nd when her, son,' James ;Glencairh Burns, by a" substantial, rise in. his salary, was enabled to allow his mother a yearly ■ iicome which >■ would reliever her_ of all charitable obligations, she at once" gracefully declined further acceptance of Mr Manle's:;kmdness. ; * ;/' , ; - On the death of Mrs .'.James Glencairh Burns out in'lndia,: her infant daughter Sarah was sent home to Dumfries to be brought up by her grandmother, Mrs: •Burns.-;'....-There was an exceedingly attachment between the. two, and Sarah, afterwards Mrs Hutchinson, writing in regard to her grandmother, said :--''On Saturday afternoons, when I was; at horde | from school, she used to give me pennies to take, round to- some of her poor heighbous, and I remember the beggars who came to 4he; door always got meal to put in their 'pokes.' ' I can remember nothing but. kindness to me." - • ( ' •' .; " 1 In spring, and 'summer.itwas .impossible to pass her window- without; being' struck; yith: the .beauty of the floral treasures itbey (contained; and if extravagant in any way, it was ;; in buying roots, and plants of the finest- sorts .She was very fond\ of young people, and many a, happy, tea-party they enjoyed, in; her home.; , ; V' : .,_i:-: X,;-; "v''/ : :. :: 1 Mrs Burhs : possessed '.& -VoiceV' of | sweetness,' ■;' Burns, in writing, of. this;;to a.friend, v'said-js'-r^'■-.''•: ;'.':- ''•'."• '■',.- ;■■-*- :>.'■'■] "She lias the finest wood-note-wild I;;,fiyer, heard:" And she was- thus as great as-1 sistance' to him in making his 'songs .'.by , "'■liltin'.-"--.over the > airs -)io% which he<was I to■ write "the never-dying' words; ':..;■ \;, There's no a bonny'bird that sings but •'■ minds me' 6' ihy .'Jean: Mrs Burns' visit t-b Edinburgh in' her widowhood was'an event of great importance. She stayed; at the house of Mr George Thomson, who had the reputation of "wakening to new "exertions the dormant muse" of the national bajd. There she met many eminent persons, including those who also, like herself, had ofttimes inspired .Burns' mystic pen. Many a happy party gathered in Mr Thomson's dwelling during the stay of his illustrious visitor; and. as Mr Thomson was very fond of music, a dance amongst the younger members present generally finished up the evening's enjoyment. At the close of a rattling reel* on one of these occasions one of the perspiring dancers advanced to Mrs Burns chair and jocularly remarked — "I-suppose, Mrs Burns, your dancing days are over?" "More than you seem to think so," roguishly responded' Mrs Burns. "I have, not seen you , oh the floor,'" gasped the embarrased joker. " That's no fault of mine," replied'the dame of nearly three-score summers. "Do you mean to say that you would try a. spring, Mrs Burns?" "Ay, a dozen of :thero, gin I get the chance." Judge of the surprise and delight of the company when they saw the venerable belle in her celebrated role stand -up-beside an ecstatic partner. Bonnie Jean's feet had lost none of their cunning. She whirled about with a grace and agility that - astonished and delighted her beholders.

Mrs Burns alsoy one evening, attended the theatre in Edinburgh, which included in the orchestra a MrFrasefVwho had acquired high reputation as a performer, on the hautboy. Mr Fraser had played iii the same house before BorjSrt Burns, and on this occasion Mr Thomson intimated to the popular musician, that the widow of the poet was to honour the house with her patronage and presence, and that it would be an appropriate compliment to her if he would on this occasion render one or'more of those melodies that had delighted her husband in a former century. The air played was that of Burns' song, "Fee him, father; fee him," which was rendered by Fraser, in opposition to the popular interpretation of its sentiment, was not of the sprightly cast, but the echo of deep despair. His pathetic notes drew tears from many eyes, even from those not given to the melting mood: To many individuals it appeared as if the performer had brought Jean into the immediate presence of the spirit of her loving husband. It need hardly be added that she herself seemed to have been of the same opinion. To Jean this song was charged with touching memories, of which

neither Mr Fras'er nor any one of the crowded audience that listened to him had at that time any knowledge. Sixty-nine years have come and gone*since "Bonnie Jean" was laid to rest in " Gray Dumfriees'," yet wherever the adventurous spirit of her countrymen transport them, from the spicy groves of India to the wild bank of the Mississippi, the name of Bonnie Jean is heard, bringing back to the wanderer sweet visions of home, and of days of " auld lang syne." The farm girl sings at the milking, the high-born, breathes it to her~piano. So long as love and song shall survive, even amongst those who favour foreign airs and, songs—yes, even they shall still keep a corner of their hearts for truth and nature, and Burns and Bonnie Jean. ■ E.G.H.