Page:New poems and variant readings, Stevenson, 1918.djvu/71

Rh Single an' straucht, he went his way.

He kept the faith an' played the play.

Whusky an' he were man an' may

Whate'er betided.

Bonny in life—in death—this twae

Were no' divided.

An' wow! but John was unco sport.

Whiles he wad smile about the Court

Malvolio-like—whiles snore an' snort

Was heard afar.

The idle winter lads' resort

Was aye John's bar.

What's merely humorous or bonny

The Worl' regairds wi' cauld astony.

Drunk men tak' aye mair place than ony;

An' sae, ye see,

The gate was aye ower thrang for Johnie—

Or you an' me.

John micht hae jingled cap an' bells,

Been a braw fule in silks an' pells,

In ane o' the auld worl's canty hells

Paris or Sodom.

I wadnae had him naething else

But Johnie Adam.