Page:Whole proceedings of Jockey and Maggy (4).pdf/12

 12 THE PROCEEDINGS OF

Jock. I wat well that's true.

Mith. Ye filthy dog that ye are, are you gaun to confeſs wi' a byſtart, and it no yours; dinna I ken as wel as ye do wha's aught it?

Jack. Ay but mither, we may deny as we will abou it, but I doubt it come to my door at laſt.

Mith. Ye filly ſumff and ſenſeleſs fallow, had ye been knuckle deep wi' the dirty drab, ye might a ſaid fae but ye telt me lang ſyne that ye cou'dna lo'e her, ſh was ſo lazy and lown like; beſides her crooket ſit and bow'd legs.

Jock. Ay but mither, do ye mind ſince ye ſent m out to gie her the parting kiſs, at the black hole o' the peet ſtack; ſhe rave the button frae my breeks, and wad gar me do't; and bad me do't, and could fleſh and blood refuſe to do't; I am ſure mither, I could ne'e get her wi' bairn an my breeks on.

Mith. Na, na, poor ſimple lad, the wean's no yours ilk ane loups on anither, an you'll get the wyte o' a the byſtarts round about.

Up gets Maggy wi' a roar, and rives her hair, cries her back, belly, and baith her ſides; the weed and gu gaes through my fleſh like lang needles, nails or elfhi irons. Wae be ti' the day that e'er I saw his face, I had better married a tinkler, or followed the fogers, a mony a honeſt man's dochter has done, and liv'd a better life than I do.

Up gets Jockey and rins o'er the rigs, for John Roger's wife, and Katty the howdy, but or be wan back ſhe parted wi' Patrick thro' perfect ſpite, and then lay twa fauld o'er a ſtool in a ſwoon.

Jock. A well, a well, ſirs, ſince my firſt born is e'er dead without ſeeing the light o' the warld; ye's a' ge bread and cheeſe to the blyth meat, the thing we ſhou'd a war'd on the banket will far the burial, and that will ay be ſome advantage: an Maggy ſhould die, I maureen tank Jenny, the tane is as far a length as the tither: I'ſe be furniſht wi' a wife between the twa.

But Maggy turn'd better the next day, and was able to muck the byre: yet there gaed fic a tittle tattling