Death Of The Son Of Burns's "Souter Johnny."

and Tam was well knoAvn to Burns and the Souter , and on that " ae market nicht" of their festivities , when Tam parted from his jolly companions to take his solitary journey homewards past " Alloway's auld haunted Kirk " it is A'ery possible the Poet first conceived the idea of his wonderful tale . It has been alleged that a John Davidsona shoemaker in

Kirk-, osAvald , was the Souter Johnnie , on the ground that he and Tam were frequently boon cronies in Kirkoawald—Tarn ' s farm of Shanter being in that neighbourhood , Avhere both possibly may have met the poet during the sojourn there ; but it may naturally be asked , what Avas Davidson doing in Ayr

so late , and so far from home ? and even if there , is it possible to believe that Tam would have left him in Ayr and journeyed home by himself . In short , it is impossible to suppose that the poet when composing the poem had any other individual in vieAv than his own boy companion , and boon comrade in

earlymanhood . At all events the late John Lauehlan Avas recognised by all and sundry in and about Ayr , as the Souter Johnnie of the poem from the day of its publication ; and much to his chagrin , he retained the sobriquet to his dying day . The Souter was a member of Ayr St . Paul ' s Lodge ,

and at his death his remains were intered Avith Masonic honours . His son was a Craftsman of sixty five years standing . Ayr St . James ( No . 165 ) was his mother lodge , and in it he received also the degrees of Royal Arch and Knight Templar . He was one of the original membersof Ayr St . Paul ' s , a lodge raised by Freemasons serving in the Ayrshire Militia in 1799 ; and was delegated by his brethren-in-arms to proceed

to Edinburgh to receive from the Grancl Lodge , of Scotland the charter of the newly-formed lodge . That document Bro . Lauchlin carried in his knapsack to Stirling , where the militia tberi lay , and in the Court Hall of that toAvn was the oil of consecration poured out upon the altar of Ayr and RenfreAV Militia St . Paulearly in the year 1800 by the office-bearers

, , of the lodge "Ancient Stirling . " Bro . Lauehlan was called to the chair of St . Paul's in 1805 , and at various other periods of its history was the same honour conferred upon him . So highly were his services appreciated by his brethren , that in 180 S he Avas presented Avith a handsome silver medal in the name of

the lodge , " as a tribute of esteem and mark of respect towards him for his laudable conduct while Master , for his attention to its interests and prosperity , aud for his spirited exertions in supporting its dignity and maintaining its independence . " As shelving the zeal with Avhich he entered into Masonic matters , it is

worthy of mention that during the first 50 years of this century only twice was he found to be absent from his place in the lodge at its annual meeting . And in later years , although bending under the infirmities of old age , Avhenever anything of more than usual importance appeared upon the business card of

the lodge over which he had so often and so worthily presided , he was sure to be present , aiding Avith his counsels those who could not lay claim to the experience in lodge affairs which he possessed . The last Masonic meeting which our deceased venerable brother attended was that of the Ayr Priory , in March last , when he seconded the nomination of a successor to Sir Kni ght Major Thornton , Avho had resigned the command of that encampment in consequence of his

Death Of The Son Of Burns's "Souter Johnny."

remoi'al to Derby . On that occasion he was m high spirits , and entertained the Sir Knights with a graphic sketch of the state of Knight Templary in his earl y days , Avhen the whole steps from E . A . to K . T . Avere given in eA'ery Craft lodge throughout Scotland . From our boyhood Ave have known Bro . Lauehlan as one of our most respected citizensand .

, since , being drawn closer to him in the bonds of brotherhood , we have ever found him to be a Mason of high intelligence and unsullied reputation . Although now removed from our society , he will long live in the remembrance of those who knew him best . "We understand he has bequeathed his diplomas and

other Masonic papers , to his Masonic son and most intimate friend Bro . Andrew Glass , a Past Master of Ayr St . Paul ' s . These relics of Souter Johnny ' s soon will form a valuable addition to those already preserved by Bro . Glass , under the roof-tree of the farfamed Tam o' Shanter Inn , of Avhich he is the

respected lessee . Though not like his father , the Souter , buried with Masonic honours , the remains of Bro . Lauehlan were folloAved to the grave by the Provost and magistrates of Ayr , and a large concourse of the general community , as well as by the representatives of the various Masonic bodies of the town , in which he lived . Peace to his ashes !

Cambrian Archæological Society.

CAMBRIAN ARCH ? OLOGICAL SOCIETY .

The annual meeting of the Cambrian Archrsological Association commenced on Monday , Sept . 26 , afc Truro , in Cornwall , and terminated on Saturday , Sept . 29 . The Town Hall had been granted by the Mayor to the Association for their use , and a temporary museum was arranged in the council chamber and corridor , ivhich Avas of a very interesting character .

Tbe annual meeting Avas held on Monday , the Earl of Dunraven being elected to take the chair , aud the business commenced by calling upon Mr . Edward Smirke , Avho is the President of the Royal Cornwall Institution , to address the company . During a long address , Mr . Smirke said that with regard to material ivorks of arfc , in architecture and so onthey bad some curious

, very monuments , their origin so lost in antiquity thafc they did not knoAv what date to assign to them . In an adjoining room some rude rubbings were to be found that indicated what he had called the primaeval period . Some of them , perhaps many of them , may be of date subsequent to the Eomans , but certainly they are of

pre-historic date ; they have no connection wifch known history , and he questioned whether any history Avould ever be discovered that would throw light on tbe names that have been carved on those rude memorials . "With regard to other works of arfc , their buildings of a sacred character ivere not numerous ; as regards ecclesiastical architecture they stood far below other counties . In

excuse for our deficiency in this respect , he might say that the material they possessed is so extremely refractory , that it Avill not submit to the chisel of the sculp tor . But still they ivould find attempts , and not unsuccessful attempts , to produce a kind of ornamentation , as , for instance , at Lannceston , and also , to some extent , in the church afc Truroand they had some elegantly

; very designed toivers . But Avith regard to such architectural decorations as they saw in counties where they have a more serviceable material than granite and a very hard slate , they ivould look in vain for them ; because no genius or talent could possibly insculp those rocks with anything like the skill that is displayed in many Avorks of ecclesiastical architecture in other counties .