Page:Satan's warehouse door, or, Water Willie's new mode of purifying his hands.pdf/6

 But scarcely had I clos’d my ee,

When I began a plungin’;

Then, as I thought, baith bed an’ me,

Into some darksome dungeon.

Now deep an’ deeper down I fell,

Terrific yet to think o’t,

I thought that I was gaun to hell,

An’ just upon the brink o’t,

When, lo! a voice frae Night’s dark womb,

Baith loud and shrill resounded,

And rapidly dispell’d the gloom

By which I was surrounded;

Then presently a hoary Sage,

Wi’ countenance commanding,

Who seem’d the vera sire o’ age,

Was at my elbock standing:

“O what art thou?—and where am I?”

Were my interrogations.

“Come, follow me,” was the reply,

“And have a little patience.”

Then shewing me the Book o’ Fate,

That hidden myst’ries solved;

Besides, a Glass to penetrate

What was in doubt involved;