Familiar Songs - Their Authors & Histories

300 traditional songs, inc sheet music with full piano accompaniment & lyrics.

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	MY AIN FIRESIDE.		47
	The old air to which these words are sung was called " Toddlin' Hame." ton's original words read: —		Mrs. Hamil-
	O, I hae seen great anes, and sat in great ha's, 'Mang lords and 'mang ladies a' covered wi' braws: At feasts made for princes, wi' princes I've been, Where the grand shine o' splendour has dazzled my e'en; But a sight sae delightfu' I trow I ne'er spied, As the bonnie, blythe blink o' my ain fireside. My ain fireside, my ain fireside ! O, cheery's the blink o' my ain fireside ! My ain fireside, my ain fireside ! O, there's nought to compare wi' my ain fireside! Ance mair, Gude be praised, round my ain heartsome ingle, WP the friends o' my youth I cordially mingle; Nae forms to compel me to seem wae or glad — I may laugh when I'm merry, and sigh when I'm sad; Nae falsehood to dread, and nae malice to fear,	But truth to delight me and friendship to cheer. O' a' roads to happiness ever were tried, There's nane half so sure as ane's ain fireside ; My ain fireside, my ain fireside! O, there's nought to compare wi' my ain fireside! When I draw in my stool on my cosy hearth stane, My heart loups sae light I scarce ken't for my ain; Care's down on the wind, it is clean out of sight, Past troubles they seem but as dreams o' the night. There but kind voices, kind faces I see, And mark saft affection glent fond frae ilk e'e ; Nae fleechings o' flattery, nae boastings o' pride,— 'Tis heart speaks to heart at ane's ain fireside. My ain ain fireside, my ain fireside ! O, there's nought to compare wi' ane's ain fireside!
	CASTLES IN THE AIR. James Ballantine, author of "Castles in the Air," was born in Edinburgh, June 11, 1808. His father, who was a brewer, died when James, his only son and youngest child, was but ten years old. A common school education was all the boy could obtain, before he felt that he must assist his mother and sisters. He was apprenticed to a house-painter, but when he was twenty years old, attended the University of Edinburgh, to study anatomy. He became interested in painting on glass, and a genuine revival of the beautiful art of decorative glass-painting followed his efforts. The Royal Commissioners of the Fine Arts awarded him their prize for the best specimens and designs for the painting of the windows of the House of Lords, and the entire work was entrusted him. He published a popular treatise on stained glass, a collection of his poems, and other works. He founded a large establishment in Edinburgh, where the most elaborate stained-glass work is designed and executed. His death took place in that city, December 18, 1877.