Her cherry cheeks, an' een sae clear, To tell my feats this single week I wear my stockings white and blue, I drill the land that I should plough, An' plough the drills entirely, O.-O! love! &c. Soon as the dawn had brought the day, I went to theek the stable, O; I coost my coat, and ply'd away I wrought a' morning out an' out Gude faith it was the byre, O!-O! love! &c. Her wily glance I'll ne'er forget; The dear, the lovely blinkin' o't, Has pierc'd me through an' through the heart, I try'd to sing, I try'd to pray, I try'd to drown't wi' drinkin, o't; I try'd wi' toil to drive't away, But ne'er can sleep for thinkin' o't.-O! love! Were Peggy's love to hire the job, An' save my heart frae breakin', O, Through Africa sae dreary, O.-O! love! &c. Ye little ken what pains I prove! Than e'er I was wi' whisky, O; An' now I'll dee for Peggy, O.-O! love! &c. AULD ETTRICK JOHN. TUNE-Rothiemurchus' Rant. THERE dwalt a man on Ettrick side, He had a wife when he was young, Auld John came daddin' down the hill, His shoon were four pound weight a-piece, His doublet strang was large an' lang, His breeks they hardly reach'd his knee. His coat was threed-about wi' green, The mouds* had wrought it muckle harm; The pouches war an ell atween, The cuf was faldit up the arm. * Moths. He wore a bonnet on his head, The bung upon his shoulders lay, An' by the neb ye wad hae red That Johnnie view'd the milky-way. But yet for a' his antic dress, His cheeks wi' healthy red did glow; His joints war knit, an' firm like brass, Though siller gray his head did grow: An' John, although he had nae lands, Had twa gude kye amang the knowes; A hunder pund i' honest hands, An' sax-an'-thretty doddit yowes. An' Nelly was a bonny lass, Fu' sweet an' ruddy was her mou'; Her een war like twa beads o' glass, Her brow was white like Cheviot woo; Her cheeks were bright as heather-bells, Her bosom like December snaw, Her teeth as pure as eggs' shells, Her hair was like the hoddy craw. "Gudewife," quo' John, as he sat down, "I'm come to court your daughter Nell; An' if I die immediately, She sall hae a' the gear hersel. An' if I chance to hae a son, I'll breed him up a braw divine; An' if ilk wish turn out a wean, There's little fear that we hae nine." Now Nelly thought, an' aye she leugh, "Our lads are a' for sogers gane; Young Tam will kiss an' toy enengh, But he o' marriage talketh nane. When I am laid in Johnnie's bed, Like hares or lav'rocks I'll be free; I'll busk me braw an' conquer a'Auld Johnnie's just the man for me." Wi' little say he wan the day, She soon became his bonny bride; But ilka joy is fled away Frae Johnnie's canty ingle side. She frets an' greets, an' visits aft, In hopes some lad will see her hame; But never ane will be sae daft As tent auld Johnnie's flisky dame. An' John will be a gaishen soon; His teeth are frae their sockets flown; The hair peel'd aff his head aboon; His face is milk-an'-water grown : His legs, that firm like pillars stood, Are now grown toom an' unco sma'; She's reav'd him sair o' flesh an' blood, An' peace o' mind-the warst ava. |