Their gun's a burthen on their shouther; Till skelp-a shot-they're aff, a' throu❜ther," But bring a Scotsman fra his hill, And there's the foe; He has nae thought but how to kill Nae cauld, faint-hearted doubtings tease him; And when he fa's, His latest draught o' breathin lea'es him THE AULD FARMER'S NEW-YEAR MORNING SALUTATION TO HIS AULD MARE MAGGIE, ON GIVING HER THE ACCUSTOMED RIP OF CORN TO HANSEL IN THE NEW YEAR. A GUID New-Year I wish thee, Maggie! 7 Though thou's howe-backit now and knaggie,8 1 They cannot stand. 2 Uncertainty. 3 Pell mell. 4 Eyes may shut. 5 Smoke. 6 Lose. 7 A handful of corn in the stalk. 8 Bent-backed and ridged. Thou could hae gaen like ony staggie Though now thou's dowie, stiff, and crazy, He should been tight that daur't to raize1 thee, Thou ance was i' the foremost rank, It's now some nine-and-twenty year, And fifty mark; 7 Though it was sma', 'twas weel-won gear, When first I gaed to woo my Jenny, That day ye pranced wi' muckle pride Though now ye dow but hoyte and hoble,15 For heels and win'! And ran them till they a' did wauble, 18 When thou and I were young and skeigh, 19 5 Stately, strong, active. 14 Challenged. 15 Can but limp and totter. 16 Twist about like the lumbering boat used in salmon fishing. 18 Stagger-being done-up. 19 Mettlesome. * The district between the Ayr and the Doon. 17 Runner. 20 Lengthy. How thou would prance, and snore and skreigh, Town's bodies ran, and stood abeigh,1 And ca't thee mad. When thou was corn't, and I was mellow, But every tail thou pay't them hollow, The sma' droop-rumpl't,3 hunter cattle, Nae whup nor spur, but just a wattle O' saugh or hazle. Thou was a noble fittie-lan',7 As e'er in tug or tow was drawn ! In guid March weather, Hae turn'd sax rood beside our han', For days thegither. Thou never braindg't, and fech't, and fliskit,8 'Till spritty knowes wad rair't and risket, And slypet owre." * When frosts lay lang, and snaws were deep, I gied thy cog11 a wee bit heap Aboon the timmer; I kenn'd my Maggie wadna sleep For that, or simmer. In cart or car nou never reestit ;12 The steyest 13 brae thou wad hae faced it; But just thy step a wee thing hastit, Thou snoov't awa'. 1 Aside. 2 Wedding races. 4 Might perhaps have beaten thee in a short run. 12 Stopped. 14 Never leaped, reared, or started forward. * This is a magnificent description. Till hard knolls would open with a crackling sound, the earth falling gently over in the wake of the resistless ploughshare. My pleugh is now thy bairn-time a';1 That thou hast nurst: They drew me thretteen pund and twa, Mony a sair darg2 we twa hae wrought, Yet here to crazy age we're brought, And think na, my auld trusty servan', A heapit stimpart,3 I'll reserve ane We've worn to crazy years thegither; To some hain'd rig,5 Whare ye may nobly rax your leather, Wi' sma' fatigue. THE TWA DOGS: A TALE. GILBERT BURNS says,-"The tale of 'The Twa Dogs' was composed after 'Twas in that place o' Scotland's isle, When wearing through the afternoon, The first I'll name, they ca'd him Cæsar, 1 Ears. 3 Cur. His hair, his size, his mouth, his lugs,1 3 And stroan't on stanes and hillocks wi' him. The tither was a ploughman's collie, A rhyming, ranting, roving billie, Wha for his friend and comrade had him, Was made lang syne-Lord knows how lang. 8 He was a gash and faithfu' tyke, Nae doubt but they were fain o' ither, 13 Wi' social nose whyles snuff'd and snowkit, 15 Until wi' daffin'17 weary grown, Upon a knowe 18 they sat them down, And there began a lang digression CÆSAR I've often wonder'd, honest Luath, What sort o' life poor dogs like you have; 4 Matted and dirty. 9 His honest, comely, 11 Bushy. white-marked face. 7 Knowing. 8 Ditch. 10 Shaggy. 13 Fond of each other. 15 Scented. 14 Very close and friendly. 16 Sometimes for mice and moles they scraped. 12 Hips. 17 Sporting. 18 Knoll. * Cuchullin's dog in Ossian's "Fingal."-B. |