Page:Watty and Meg, or, The wife reformed (2).pdf/4

4 Try this, Watty—When ye see her

Raging like a roaring flood,

Swear that moment that ye'll lea' her;

That's the way to keep her good.”

Laughing, sangs, and lasses' skirls,

Echoes now out through the roof:

"Done!" quo' Pate, and syne his erls,

Nail'd the Dryster's wauket loof.

In the thrang o’ stories telling,

Shaking hauns, and ither cheer,

Swith! a chap comes on the hallan,

"Mungo, is our Watty here?"

Maggy's weel kent tongue and hurry

Darted through him like a knife;

Up the door flog—like a fury

In came Watty's scalding wife.

"Nasty, gude-for-naething being!

O ye snuffy drucken sow!

Bringing wife and weans to ruin,

Drinking here wi’ sic a crew!

Deevil nor your legs were broken!

Sic a life nae flesh endures;

Toiling like a slave to slocken

You, ye dyvour, and your whores!

Rise, ye drucken beast o' Bethel!

Drink's your night and day's desire:

Rise, this precious hour! or, faith, I'll

Fling your whisky i‘ the fire"

Watty heard her tongue unhallow‘d,

Pay'd his groat wi' little din,