"I LO'ED NE'ER A LADDIE BUT ANE." 57

"Dear lassie," he cries wi' a jeer,

"Ne'er heed what the auld anes will say: Though we've little to brag o', ne'er fear,

What's gowd to a heart that is wae?
Our laird has baith honours and wealth,
Yet see how he's dwining1 wi' care;
Now we, though we've naething but health,
Are cantie and leal evermair.

"O Menie2, the heart that is true

Has something mair costly than gear; Ilk e'en it has naething to rue,

Ilk morn it has naething to fear.

Ye warldlings, gae hoard up your store,
And tremble for fear aught ye tyne3;
Guard your treasures wi' lock, bar, and door,
While here in my arms I lock mine!"

He ends wi' a kiss and a smile-
Wae's me, can I tak' it amiss?
My laddie's unpractised in guile,

He's free aye to daut4 and to kiss.
Ye lasses wha lo'e to torment

Your wooers wi' fause scorn and strife, Play your pranks; I ha'e gi'en my consent,

And this night I am Jamie's for life.

I dwindling.

2 Mariamne.

3 lose.

4 pet.

"SAW YE MY WEE THING?"

"OH, saw ye my wee thing? saw ye my ain thing? Saw ye my true love down by yon lea?

Crossed she the meadow yestreen at the gloaming?

Sought she the burnie whare flowers the haw-tree? Her hair it is lintwhite, her skin it is milk white, Dark is the blue o' her saft rolling e'e; Red red her ripe lips, and sweeter than roses! Whare could my wee thing ha'e wandered frae me?"

"I saw na your wee thing, I saw na your ain thing, Nor saw I your true love down by yon lea; But I met a bonnie thing, late in the gloaming,

Down by the burnie whare flowers the haw-tree. Her hair it was lintwhite, her skin it was milkwhite; Dark was the blue o' her saft rolling e'e; Red were her ripe lips, and sweeter than roses; Sweet were the kisses that she gae to me."

"It was na my wee thing, it was na my ain thing,
It was na my true love ye met by the tree :
Proud is her leal heart, and modest her nature,
She never lo'ed ony till ance she lo'ed me.

Her name it is Mary, she's frae Castlecary;

Aft has she sat, when a bairn, on my knee. Fair as your face is, were't fifty times fairer, Young bragger, she ne'er wad gi'e kisses to thee."

"It was then your Mary; she's frae Castlecary; It was then your true love I met by the tree. Proud as her heart is, and modest her nature,

Sweet were the kisses that she ga'e to me." Sair gloomed his dark brow, blood-red his cheek grew, And wild flashed the fire frae his red-rolling e'e: "Ye'se rue sair this morning your boasts and your scorning,

Defend ye, fause traitor! fu' loudly ye lee!"

"Awa' wi' beguiling!" cried the youth smiling: Aff went the bonnet, the lintwhite locks flee; The belted plaid fa'ing, her white bosom shawing, Fair stood the loved maid with the dark rolling e'e. "Is it my wee thing? is it my ain thing?

Is it my true love here that I see?”

"Oh Jamie, forgi'e me! your heart's constant to me! I'll never mair wander, dear laddie, frae thee."

I grandfather.

2 smart.

COME UNDER MY PLAIDIE.

"COME under my plaidie, the night's gaun to fa';
Come in frae the cauld blast, the drift, and the snaw :
Come under my plaidie, and sit down beside me,
There's room in't, dear lassie, believe me, for twa.
Come under my plaidie, and sit down beside me,
I'll hap ye frae every cauld blast that can blaw:
Oh, come under my plaidie, and sit down beside me!
There's room in't, dear lassie, believe me, for twa."

"Gae 'wa wi' your plaidie, auld Donald, gae 'wa!
I fearna the cauld blast, the drift, nor the snaw:
Gae 'wa wi' your plaidie; I'll no sit beside ye,
Ye may be my gutcher'; auld Donald, gae 'wa.
I'm gaun to meet Johnnie-he's young and he's
bonnie;

He's been at Meg's bridal, fu' trig and fu' braw:
Oh, nane dances sae lightly, sae gracefu', sae tightly;
His cheek's like the new rose, his brow's like the
snaw."

"Dear Marion, let that flee stick fast to the wa': 3 fool, lit. cuckoo. Your Jock's but a gowk3, and has naething ava;

The hale o' his pack he has now on his back:
He's thretty, and I am but threescore and twa.

I

Be frank now and kindly: I'll busk' ye aye finely, 1 dress, deck. To kirk or to market there'll few gang sae braw;

A bien2 house to bide in, a chaise for to ride in, 2 comfortable. And flunkies to 'tend ye as aft as ye ca'."

"My father's aye tauld me, my mither an a',
Ye'd mak' a gude husband, and keep me aye braw:
It's true I lo'e Johnnie—he's gude and he's bonnie,
But, wae's me! ye ken he has naething ava.
I ha'e little tocher3: you've made a good offer:
I'm now mair than twenty--my time is but sma';
Sae, gi'e me your plaidie, I'll creep in beside ye,
I thocht ye'd been aulder than threescore and twa.”

3 dower.

She crap in ayont him, aside the stane wa',
Where Johnnie was list'ning, and heard her tell a':
The day was appointed: his proud heart it dunted 4, 4 thumped.
And strack 'gainst his side as if bursting in twa.

He wandered hame weary: the night it was dreary;
And, thowless 5, he tint his gate' 'mang the deep 5 pithless.

snaw:

The owlet was screamin'; while Johnnie cried,

"Women

Wad marry Auld Nick if he'd keep them aye braw!"

lost his way.