WATTY AND MEG;

OR THE

WIFE REFORM'D.

A TALE.

KEEN the frosty winds ware blawin, Deep the sna had wreath'd the plows, Watty, wearied a' day sawin,

Dander'd down to Mungo Blue's.

Dyester Jock was sitting cracky
Wi' Pate Tamson o' the hill:

'Come awa' (quo' Johnny), Watty! 'Haith we's hae anither gill,'

Watty, glad to see Jock Jabos,
And sae mony neibours roun',
Kicket frae his shoon the sna'-ba's,
Syne ayont the fire sat down.

Owre a broad wi' bannocks heapit,
Cheese, and stoups, and glasses, stood

Some ware roarin, ithers sleepit,
Ithers quietly chew'd their cude,

Jock was sellin Pate some tallow,
A' the rest a racket hel',

A' but Watty, whä, poor fallow,
Sat and smocket by himsel'.

Mungo fill'd him up a toothfu',
Drank his health and Meg's in ane ;
Watty, puffin' out a mouthfu',

Pledg'd him wi' a dreary grane.

"What's the matter, Watty, wi' you? Troth your chafts are fa'in in : Something's wrang-I'm wae to see you'Gudesake! but ye're desp'rate thin.'

'Aye,' (quo' Watty) things are alter'd,
But it's past redemption now;
'L-d, I wish I had been halter'd
Whan I marry'd Maggie Howe.

'I've been poor, and vext, and raggy,
'Try't wi' troubles no that sma',
Them I bore-but marrying Maggy
'Laid the cap-stane on them a'.

< Night and day she's ever yelpin,
'Wi' the weans she ne'er can 'gree;
When she's tir'd wi' perfect skelpin,
Then she flees like fire on me.

See ye, Mungo, whan she'll clash on 'Wi' her everlasting clack,

'Whiles I've had my nieve, in passion, 'Lifted up to break her back !'

'O, for Gudesake, keep frae cuffets!'
Mungo shook his head, and said,
Weel I ken what sort o' life it's;
Ken ye, Watty, how I did?

After Bess and I ware kippl't,
'Soon she grew like ony bear,
Brake my shins, and whan I tipple't,
'She harl❜t out my very hair.

For a wee I quietly knuckl't; But whan naething wad prevail, ' Up my claes and cash I buckl't, "Bess, for ever fare ye weel,”

6

Then her din grew less and less ay,
'Haith I gart her change her tune:
Now a better wife than Bessy
'Never stept in leather shoon.

Try this, Watty-whan ye see her

6 Raging like a roaring flood,

Swear that moment that ye'll lea' her;→ That's the way to keep her gude.'

Laughing, sangs, and lasses' skirls,
Echo'd now out-thro' the roof:
Done! quo' Pate, and syne his earls
Nail'd the dyester's waukit loof.

I' the thrang o' stories telling,
Shaking han's, and ither cheer,
Swith! a chap comes to the hallan ;
F Mungo is our Watty here.'

Maggy's weel-kend tongue and hurry
Darted thro' him like a knife;
Up the door flew-like a fury,
In cam Watty's scalding wife.

Nasty, gude-for-naething being! O ye snuffy, drucken sow! 'Bringin wife and weans to ruin, • Drinkin here wi' sic a crew!

Deil nor your twa legs ware broken! 'Sic a life nae flesh endures;

Toilin like a slave to sloken

You, you 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!'