It put the maist o' folk on edge

And yonder's three chiels brisk aye; See Tam's now in an awfu' rage,

For Bob's drunk a' the whisky.

A modest matron, sitting douse,
Was for some minutes pested:
She thocht that 'mang her feet a mouse
Was jumping;-but to test it,

She soon resolved, in spite o' a',
She would be at the meaning;
So, looking down, I ween, she saw
A fellow busy preening

Her petticoats; but, weel I wat,
The kind chiel got a token;--
The matron rose to stand, wi' that
The gallant's wrist was broken.

Look ye up yonder! there's three chiels
At "catch the ten " they're playing;
And hear yon callant, how he bans
At what his neebor's saying.

And round and round are maids and men

Quite the reverse o' civil:

They make the house o' God a den

In which to do a' evil.

Where is the genius of those rules,—
Those precepts that would ease us?

Where are the teachers of those schools

Begun on earth by Jesus?

STOBBS FAIR,

AN ANNUAL MARKET HELD AT DUNDEE.

I.

Come, Pate, gie't ower, man-work nae mair— Let's baith gae out to see the fair,—

Ilk blithesome body's fleeing.

The road, I see, is thickly clad
Wi' mony a bonny lass and lad,-

--

They'll a' be worth the seeing." So said my friend, and quickly then I rose and took the road,

On which were droves o' merry men,

And lasses neat and snod;

And a' that I saw,

As I here and there was driven,

Just proved ilk ane loved

To be lightsome as weel's livin'.

II.

And many a ploughman chiel' was seen,

Wha' that night had got rowin' een,

And some could scarcely stand.

G

I like a chiel' right glad to be

Whene'er he meets wi' twa or three,

To grip hard Friendship's hand. I aften o'er a hearty stoup

Ha'e spent a happy night;

But it's far the best and wisest plan
To keep ane's sel' near right.

It's beastly-I maistly

Could ca' the fellow down,

Wha sits till his wits

Wi' the warld's rinnin' round

III.

There's mony a poor thing on the road
This day ha'e left their sad abode;
And, waes me, they maun beg.
Wives, wed to poortith, wi' a bairn,
And mony a man without the arm,
And some without the leg:
I like to see a generous chiel',
Wi' open liberal hand,

It shows, I ween, that he can feel,

For this neglected band,

To gi'e what he'll see that

To him will ne'er be missing;

I like to hear wi' listening ear,
The poor auld beggar's blessing

IV.

"Hark to that noise from yonder tent, I'm sure there's some ane discontent, Although I wadna wish't:

Alas! my friend, what can it be?" "The lads wi' scarlet coats, you see, Are wanting Will to list."

“Man, Will, how can ye gang awa
Frae hame and friends sae far?"

Said Roger, "Can you leave us a'
To face the waes o' war?
Man, Willie, be nae silly;

Dinna plunge to sic a fate:

I'll no deceive, but me believe,

You'll rue't when far o'er late."

V.

Says Will, "My friend, I ken ye weel; I ken that much for me you feel;

But here, believe me, Roger,