"
He took for his text the first seven verses of the concluding
chapter of Ecclesiastes, furnishing in himself its fitting
illustration. The evil days had come; the keepers of the house
trembled; the windows of life were darkened. A few months
later the silver cord was loosed, the golden bowl was broken,
and between the poor old man and the temptations which beset
him fell the thick curtains of the grave.
(1) Nathaniel Emmons was a New England theologian of
marked character and power, who for seventy years was
connected with a church in that part of Wrentham, Mass., now
called Franklin. He exercised considerable influence over the
religious thought of New England, and is still read by
theologians. He died in 1840, in his ninety-sixth year.
(2) Souter (or cobbler) Johnny, in Burns's poetic tale of *Tam
O'Shanter,* had been *fou* or *full* of drink with Tam for
weeks together.
One day we had a call from a "pawky auld carle"(1) of a
wandering Scotchman. To him I owe my first introduction to
the songs of Burns. After eating his bread and cheese and
drinking his mug of cider he gave us Bonny Doon, Highland
Mary, and Auld Lang Syne. He had a rich, full voice, and
entered heartily into the spirit of his lyrics. I have since
listened to the same melodies from the lips of Dempster(2)
(than whom the Scottish bard has had no sweeter or truer
interpreter), but the skilful performance of the artist lacked the
novel charm of the gaberlunzie's singing in the old farmhouse
kitchen.
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