Page:History of Buckhaven, or, The exploits of Wise Willie and Witty Eppie.pdf/11

11 PART II

Now Wise Willie had a daughter called Rolling Couching Jenny, as she spoke thick, sax words at three times. ha'f sense, ha'f nonsense, as her own records will bear witness. She being with child, she was delivered of a bonny lass, and all the wives in the town cried out, be go laddie, its just like its ain faither. Lang Sandy Tason, (or Thomson) we ken by its nose; for Sandy had a great muekle red nose like a lobsters tae, bowed at the point like a hawk's neb. and Sandy himsel' said, it was surely his or some other body's, but he had used a' his birr at the getting o't, trying his abilities, being the first time e'er he was at sic a business before ; and when he had done a' that man could do at it he said it was nonsence; and shame fa' him, but he wad rather row his boat round the Bass and back again or he'd do the like again ; for Wise Willie gade wude at the wane, and said it had mair ill nature in't than the auldest wife about the town; for it pissed the bed, and shit the bed; skirled like a wild cat, and keeped him frae his night's rest, and the auld hags about the town ca'd him Sandy, the bairns daddy, and a the young gillie gauky lasses held out their fingers, and cried, Ti hie, hie Sandy the kirk, will kittle your hips for that; and after a' the bleer-eyed bell man