Lunch at Annan. 245 



peasant. Don't let it be ' Auld Lang Syne,' either, for 

 there is more of ' Peace and Good-will upon Earth,' 

 the essence of true religion, in that grand song than 

 in your effectual calling, Davie, my wee mannie. At 

 least there is one who thinks so." Davie got my ad 

 dress, and said may be he would come to America when 

 he grew to be a man. I promised to give him a chance 

 if he had not forgotten Burns, which is all we can do in 

 the Republic, where merit is the only road to success. 

 We may make a Republican out of him yet, and have 

 him return to his fellows to preach the equality of man, 

 the sermon Scotland needs. 



We lunched at Annan. It was at first decided that 

 we had better be satisfied with hotel accommodations, 

 as the day though fine was cool, with that little nip in 

 the air which gives it the bracing quality ; but after we 

 had entered the hotel the sun burst forth, and the long- 

 ing for the green fields could not be overcome. We 

 walked through the village across the river, and found a 

 pretty spot in a grove upon high ground commanding 

 extensive views up and down the stream, and there we 

 gave our new members their first luncheon. It would 

 have been a great pity had we missed this picnic, for it 

 was in every respect up to the standard. I laugh as I 

 recall the difKiculties encountered in selecting the fine 

 site. The committee had fixed upon a tolerably good 

 location in a field near the river, but this knoll was in 

 sight, and we were tempted to go to it. We had gone 



