Volume Ii Part 70 (2/2)

THE CONSTANT SWAIN AND VIRTUOUS MAID

Soon as the day begins to waste, Straight to the well-known door I haste, And rapping there, I'm forced to stay While Molly hides her work with care, Adjusts her tucker and her hair, And nimble Becky scours away.

Entering, I see in Molly's eyes A sudden smiling joy arise, As quickly checked by virgin shame: She drops a curtsey, steals a glance, Receives a kiss, one step advance.-- If such I love, am I to blame?

I sit, and talk of twenty things, Of South Sea stock, or death of kings, While only ”Yes” or ”No,” says Molly; As cautious she conceals her thoughts, As others do their private faults:-- Is this her prudence, or her folly?

Parting, I kiss her lip and cheek, I hang about her snowy neck, And cry, ”Farewell, my dearest Molly!”

Yet still I hang and still I kiss, Ye learned sages, say, is this In me the effect of love, or folly?

No--both by sober reason move,-- She prudence shows, and I true love-- No charge of folly can be laid.

Then (till the marriage-rites proclaimed Shall join our hands) let us be named The constant swain, the virtuous maid.

Unknown

”WHEN THE KYE COMES HAME”

Come, all ye jolly shepherds That whistle through the glen, I'll tell ye of a secret That courtiers dinna ken: What is the greatest bliss That the tongue o' man can name?

'Tis to woo a bonnie la.s.sie When the kye comes hame.

When the kye comes hame, When the kye comes hame, 'Tween the gloamin and the mirk, When the kye comes hame.

'Tis not beneath the coronet, Nor canopy of state, 'Tis not on couch of velvet, Nor arbor of the great-- 'Tis beneath the spreading birk, In the glen without the name, Wi' a bonnie, bonnie la.s.sie, When the kye comes hame.

There the blackbird bigs his nest For the mate he lo'es to see, And on the topmost bough, O, a happy bird is he!

Then he pours his melting ditty, And love is a' the theme, And he'll woo his bonnie la.s.sie When the kye comes hame.

When the blewart bears a pearl, And the daisy turns a pea, And the bonnie lucken gowan Has fauldit up her e'e, Then the laverock frae the blue lift Draps down, and thinks nae shame To woo his bonnie la.s.sie When the kye comes hame.

See yonder pawkie shepherd That lingers on the hill-- His ewes are in the fauld, And his lambs are lying still; Yet he downa gang to bed, For his heart is in a flame To meet his bonnie la.s.sie When the kye comes hame.

When the little wee bit heart Rises high in the breast, And the little wee bit starn Rises red in the east, O there's a joy sae dear, That the heart can hardly frame, Wi' a bonnie, bonnie la.s.sie, When the kye comes hame.

Then since all nature joins In this love without alloy, O, wha wad prove a traitor To Nature's dearest joy?

Or wha wad choose a crown, Wi' its perils and its fame, And miss his bonnie la.s.sie When the kye comes hame?

When the kye comes hame, When the kye comes hame 'Tween the gloamin' and the mirk, When the kye comes hame!

James Hogg [1770-1835]

THE LOW-BACKED CAR

When first I saw sweet Peggy, 'Twas on a market day, A low-backed car she drove, and sat Upon a truss of hay; But when that hay was blooming gra.s.s And decked with flowers of Spring, No flower was there that could compare With the blooming girl I sing.

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