Page:Watty and Meg, or, the wife reclaimed.pdf/13

 13 DONALD AND HIS DOG, Or, TIE ROBBER OUTWITTED. Between twa hills that tow'rd up to the clouds, Clad owre wi' heather. bent, and woods; 'Mang steeps, & roeks, & waters fallin' Was Highland Donald's humble dwallin, Aroun' his hut, beneath his eye, Fed 'bout a seore o'stirks and kye; Whilk, wi' his wife and family, were His pleasure, and peeuliar care. Amang sic barren heights and howes, Where grain, for food, but seanty grows, His family were but sparely fed; Right coarse and barely were they elad. Yet he was wi' his lot eontent, Except when pinched to pay his rent. Indeed, he wi' his laird for years, Had 'gainst his will been in arrears, For whilk he had to thole the snarl, And threats o' the tyrannie earl. Till Donald's independant spirit, Nae langer was resolved to bear it; And dangers was resolved to seorn, Esther to make a spoon, or spoil a horn- He shrewd and clever was I trew, Spoke Gaelic weel, and Lawlan' too, And as he was an honest ehiel, By a' his neighbours liket weel, Ae night, contriving what to do, To keep himsel' aboon the broo, A plan he moddled in his head, And thus it down before them laid; In twa weeks henee, in England, there Would be a great black-eattle fair. Whar kye, he learned frae men o' dealin's Gae double price, gi'en in the Highlands' Now, if wi' what he could himsel'