Page:Four funny tales.pdf/16



Till chance, at laſt, convey'd me to a town: There, wi' a trembling hand, I wrote my Kate A ſad account of a' my luckleſs fate; But bade her ay be kind, and no deſpair, Since life was left, I ſoon wad gather mair; Wi' whilk, I hop'd, within a towmond's date To be at hame, and ſhare it a' wi' Kate.

Fool that I was ! how little did I think That love wad ſoon be loſt for fa't o' clink! The loſs of fair won wealth, tho' hard to bear, Afore this-ne'er had pow'r to force a tear. I truſted time wad bring things round again, And Kate, dear Kate! wad then be a mine ain: Conſol'd my mind in hopes o' better luck, But, O! ''what ſad reverſe! how thunderſtruck!'' Whan ae black day brought word frae Rab my brither, That Kate was cried, and married on anither.

Tho' a' my friends, and ilka comrade ſweet, At ance, had drapped cauld dead at my feet; Or, tho' I'd heard the laſt day's dreadfu' ca', Nae deeper horror o'er my heart cou'd fa'; I curs'd myſel', I curs'd my luckleſs fate. ''And grat-and ſabbing cried-O Kate! O Kate!''

Frae that day forth-I never mair did weel, But drank and ran headforemoſt to the deel! My ſiller vanith'd, far frae hame I pin'd; But Kate for ever ran acroſs my mind: In her were a' my hopes-theſe hopes were vain, And row, I'll never ſee her like again.

'Twas this, Sir, Preſident, that gart me ſtare, Wi' meikle grief and ſorrow at my heart, To gie my vote, frae ſad experience, here, That diſappointed love is war to bear, Ten thouſand times, than loſs of warld's gear.