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Show I. BIRTHDAY IS CELEBRATED B THE SCOTCH ' ! The lS6th anniversary of the birth W Robert Burns, the Scotch poet, was 1 fittingly observod in Ogdn last night fbv the local Calodenian club. The icelebration was held at the Royal : dancing academy and was attended by 'upwards of 400 persons. Chief William N Purdie was chairman chair-man for the evening and the forepart of the program considered of musical numbers, an address of welcome by Chief Purdip and the oration on Burns, b David O. McKay The first number was a violin selection bv James Kenley and then in characteristic char-acteristic style. Chief Rurdle welcomed wel-comed his countrymen and friends to the pleasures of the evening with a fine spirit of sociability. The song "There Was a Lad Was Born in Kyle " was sung iu a most approved manner by the Caledonian chorus of 20 voices and was followed by the singing of 'Sweet Afton. " with appealing charm, by .Margaret Peart George W. Bain sang the ballad Burns and Scotland Yet" in a man-jner man-jner that created mucfa enthusiasm and Matthew Gait put everyone iu an exceptionally merr mood by sine lng "Tipperary" and "I Love a Las inH" Miss Kate Blyth rendered "O A' the Airff," in a most pleasing way preceding the address by Apostle Mc-! Mc-! TKay, In his opening remarks Mr Mc Kay iiraid a splendid tribute to the brother-fly brother-fly love and loyalty among the Scots, which prompted them to assemble toother to-other each year to keep the monitory moni-tory or the immortal poet fresh. These 1 qualities, he said, were the chief char- actristics of the Scottish people. ! His talk on Burns wtus mainly an exposition of the sympathetic nature j of the poet and he gave a number of j poems and instances in Burns" lire 1 ,'that were connected with the theme I in a manner that reached every heart. There are three ;ittributes in hu- man nature, he said, intellect, emotion I and will, and illustrated his meaning I by referring 1o the lives of Pope, Byron By-ron and Napoleon. Amotion, he continued, con-tinued, was strong in the ioet "BoD-by" "BoD-by" Burns with -ympatliy as its ch(ei characteristics and according to Burke. "Nexl to love sympathy is the divincsl passion of the human heart As an illustration of the depth of the "plowboy" poet's sympathetic nature, na-ture, the speaker quoted the following follow-ing statement made by Sir Walter Scott concerning him: "The only thing I remember whit li was remarkable in Burns" manner wa-J the effect produced upon him by a print of Bnnbury's. representing a soldier lying dead upon the s-gow, his dog sitting in misery on one Bide, on the other his widow with a child in her arms. Burns seemed mucin affected af-fected bj the print, or rather by the ideas which it sunecsted to his mind He actually shed tears." "If Burns were alive today," Mr. McKay continued "his sympathy Would go out to the Belgians now suf-fertng suf-fertng from hunger and exposure In no small measure, for he Mas possessed pos-sessed of such a nature that he could not bear to see any living thins suffer suf-fer In all his works we sec his universal sympathy bubbling forth at all times. His sympahy was not only for human beings. Ijul for everw livinz thine on the earth'' ISpeakiug further of ihe F.urx.pean situation and of the contribution that was to be made by ttie Caledonian lub of the funds derired from last nlght'H celebration, to the relief fund for the suffering people of Belgium, the speaker said he tnew that it would be a decisive utep in the direction di-rection of a common brotherhood of man, which was one tt the fonder,' dreams of Burns head He recited a number of poems lllu j trative of Burns' love for httmanit I and nature and closed his addrese bj giving "For a' that." The Caledonian chorus sang "Dun can Gray Came Here tl Woo." with all the expression necessary to make it effective and the rendition was received re-ceived with enthusiastic applause. Following Fol-lowing this number, William Tack sang "Gae Bring to Me a Pint o' .Wine" aud William Kxnley contributed contribut-ed the viobn solo, "Poori tbe Burn Davie Iad," and was required to play j an encore Miss Lillian Scott )ang Mle faur-51 faur-51 e ballad "Bonnie Don" with a fine appreciation of Its powers to movj the Scottish heart anc was rewarded with hearty applause. John McMillan McMil-lan sang "Vale o" LJv&n'' in an e. cellont manner and life rendition was also well received The closing nuni- ' i I ber was "Auld Lang Syne" with each I of the four verses by different soloists solo-ists and the chorus by the Caledonian choir and the assembly. The chairs were the removed to the sides of the hall and the dancing program was opened with an exhibition exhibi-tion of the "Sailor Hornpipe" by Master Mas-ter James and Miss Janet Kay. Tbe dance requires much technique, but the two youngsters proved fully equal , to it and the exhibition proved to be one of the biggest hits of the "High land Fling" by Miss Nellie Liddle. which was also finely executed and well received. The graml march and Circassian waltz followed the exhibition dances and opened the general dance program, pro-gram, which lasted until midnight-The midnight-The program consisted mainly of dances native to the "highlands' and was greatly enjoyed. The reception committee consisted of AIpx Liddell, Lawrence Sommer ville, G W Bain and Davie Sneddon; and the floor committee consisted of J Wilson. Matthew Gait. William Jack and R I Moves On the frout page of the program a picture of the poet Burns was printed print-ed and the following poem appeared on the pack page. THE BIRTHPLACE OF BURNS. Though Scotland boasts a thousand names Of patriot, king and peer; The noblest, grandest, of them all. V, as loved and cradled here. Here lived the gentle peasant-prince The loving cotter-king Compared with whom the greatest lord Is but a titled thing. Tis but a cot. roofed in with straw A hovel made of clav; One door shuts out the snow and storm, One window greets the day. nd yet I sland within this room, Ami hold all thrones in scorn For here, beneath this lowly thatch. Ixive's sweetest bard was born Within this hallowed hut I feel Like one who c lasps a shrine. When tin- clad lips at last have touched The something deemed divine And here the world, through all the years, As long as day returns The tribute of its loe and tears Will pay to Robert Burns ayr, August 19, 1S7S ROBERT G. INGERSOLL. |