Page:Rab and Ringan, a tale (1).pdf/7

7 Wi' a fell ringe, I plung'd at ance, forſooth,

Down thro' a wreath o' ſnaw, up to my mouth,

Clean o'er my head my precious wallet flew,

But whar it gaed, Lord kens, I never knew!

What great misfortunes are pour'd down on ſome,

I thought my fearfu' hinderen' was come!

Wi' grief and ſorrow was my ſaul o'ercaſt,

Ilk breath I drew was like to be my laſt;

For aye the mair I warfl'd roun' and roun',

I fand myſeľ aye ſtick the deeper down;

'Till ance, at length, wi' a prodigious pull,

I drew my poor cauld carcaſe frae the hole.

Lang, lang I fought and graped for my pack,

Till night and hunger forc'd me to come back.

For three lang hours I wander'd up and down,

Till chance, at laſt convey'd me to a town:

There, wi' a trembling hand, I wrote my Kate

A fad account of a' my luckleſs fate;

But bade her aye 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 again:

Conſold 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!