Page:Watty and Meg, or, the wife reclaimed.pdf/12

 12 Since life was left, I soon wad gather mair; Wi' whilk, I hoped, 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 would soon be lost for fa't o' clink. The loss of fair won wealth, though hard to bear, Afore this—neer had power to force a tear. I trusted time wad bring things round again, And Kate, dear Kate, wad then be a mine ain; Consoled my mind, in hopes o' better luck, But, O! what sad reverse!—how thunderstruck! When ae black day brought word frae Rab my brither That Kate was cried, and married on anither! Though a' my friends, and ilka comrade sweet, At ance, had drapped cauld dead at my feet; Or, though I'd heard the last day's dreadfu' ca', Nae deeper horror on my heart could fa': I cursed mysel', I cursed my luckless fate, I grat—and, sobbing, cried—O Kate! O Kate! Frae that day forth, I never mair did weel, But drank, and run headforemost to the diel. My siller vanished, far frae hame I pined, But Kate for ever ran across my mind. In her were a' my hopes—these hopes were vain, And now—I'll never see her like again. 'Twas this, Sir President, that gart me start, Wi' meikle grief and sorrow at my heart, To gi'e my vote, frae sad experience, here, That disappointed love is waur to bear, Ten thousand times, than loss o' warld's gear.