Belyve, the elder bairns come drapping in, By and by At service out, amang the farmers roun': Some ca' the pleugh, some herd, some In youthfu' bloom, love sparkling in her e'e, Comes hame, perhaps to shew a braw new gown, Or deposit her sair-won penny-fee, wagea To help her parents dear, if they in hardship Each tells the uncos that he sees or news hears; The parents, partial, eye their hopeful years; Anticipation forward points the view. The mother, wi' her needle and her shears, Gars auld claes look amaist as weel's the new The father mixes a' wi' admonition due. Their master's and their mistress's command, And ne'er, though out o' sight, to jauk dally "And oh! be sure to fear the Lord alway! And mind your duty, duly, morn and night! Lest in temptation's path ye gang astray, Implore His counsel and assisting might: They never sought in vain that sought the Lord aright!" But, hark! a rap comes gently to the door; Jenny, wha kens the meaning o' the same, Tells how a neibor lad cam o'er the moor, To do some errands, and convoy her hame. The wily mother sees the conscious flame Sparkle in Jenny's e'e, and flush her cheek; With heart-struck anxious care inquires his name, While Jenny hafflins is afraid to speak; half Weel pleased the mother hears it's nae wild, worthless rake. Wi' kindly welcome, Jenny brings him ben; in The youngster's artless heart o'erflows wi' joy, But blate and lathefu', scarce bashful-hesitating can weel behave; The mother, wi' a woman's wiles, can spy What makes the youth sae bashfu' and sae grave: Weel pleased to think her bairn's respected like the lave. other people Oh happy love! - where love like this is found! Oh heartfelt raptures!-bliss beyond compare! I've paced much this weary, mortal round, And sage experience bids me this declare: spare, One cordial in this melancholy vale, 'Tis when a youthful, loving, modest pair In other's arms breathe out the tender tale, Beneath the milk-white thorn that scents the evening gale. Is there, in human form, that bears a heart, A wretch, a villain, lost to love and truth, That can, with studied, sly, ensnaring art, Betray sweet Jenny's unsuspecting youth? Curse on his perjur'd arts! dissembling smooth! Are honour, virtue, conscience, all exiled? Points to the parents fondling o'er their child? Then paints the ruined maid, and their distrac tion wild? But now the supper crowns their simple board, The halesome parritch, chief of porridge Scotia's food; The soupe their only hawkie does afford, cow That 'yont the hallan snugly chows Το her cood: porch The dame brings forth, in complimental mood, grace the lad, her weel-hain'd kebbuck, fell, And aft he's prest, and aft he well-saved cheese-biting ca's it guid; The frugal wifie, garrulous, will tell, How 'twas a towmond auld, sin' twelvemonth lint was 'the bell. flax was in flower The cheerfu' supper done, wi' serious face, bare; Those strains that once did sweet in Zion glide, He wales a portion with judicious care; selects And "Let us worship GOD!" he says, with solemn air. They chant their artless notes in simple guise; They tune their hearts, by far the noblest Perhaps Dundee's wild-warbling measures rise, tame; The tickled ear no heartfelt raptures raise ; Nae unison hae they with our Creator's praise. The priest-like father reads the sacred page How Abram was the friend of GOD on high; Or, Moses bade eternal warfare wage With Amalek's ungracious progeny ; Or how the royal bard did groaning lie Beneath the stroke of Heaven's avenging ire; Or Job's pathetic plaint, and wailing cry; Or rapt Isaiah's wild, seraphic fire; Or other holy seers that tune the sacred lyre. -- Perhaps the Christian volume is the themeHow guiltless blood for guilty man Was shed: |