Page:Scotland's skaith, or, The history o' Will & Jean (2).pdf/5

( 5 ) Trig her houſe, and oh! to buſk aye

Ilk ſweet bairn was a' her pride!

But at this time NEWS and WHISKY

Sprang nae up at ilk road-ſide.

Luckleſs was the hour whan Willie,

Hame returning frae the fair,

Ow'r-took a neebour billie,

Six miles frae their hame and mair.

Simmer's heat had loſt its fury;

Calmly ſmil'd the fober een;

Laſſes on the bleachfield hurry

Skelping bare-fit owre the green;

Labour rang wi' laugh and clatter,

Canty was juſt begun,

And on mountain, tree and water

Glinted ſaft. the ſettin Sun.

Will and Tam wi' hearts a' lowpin

Mark'd the hale, but cou'd nae bide

Far frae hame, nae time for ſtoppin;

Baith wiſh'd for their ain fire-ſide.

On they travell’d, warm and drouthy,

Cracking owre the news in town,

The mair they crack'd, the mair ilk youth aye

Pray'd for drink to waſh news down.

wha but feldom liftens

To poor Merit's modeft pray’r;

And on fools pours needleſs bleſſings,

Harken'd to our drouthy pair.