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The Hue & Cry.
When Winter had maist gane awa',
An' a' the fields near bare o' snaw;
When Spring began to come again,
An' birds flew whistlin', o'er the plain:
Ae day, when a' the ploughs were lous'd,
An' men an' horse to dinner hous'd,
A wee bit south o' Gilston-Yett,
Twa kintra-parish Bellmen met;
Right fond they were to see each other,
Ilk lo'ed the ither like a brother.
The first they ca'd him Bellman-Johnnie,
Jamie the ither, a faithfu' cronie:
They sat them down to tak' a rest,
An' crack 'bout things as they thought best:
About their horrid acts of sin,
Auld Johnnie then did thus begin.
An' a' the fields near bare o' snaw;
When Spring began to come again,
An' birds flew whistlin', o'er the plain:
Ae day, when a' the ploughs were lous'd,
An' men an' horse to dinner hous'd,
A wee bit south o' Gilston-Yett,
Twa kintra-parish Bellmen met;
Right fond they were to see each other,
Ilk lo'ed the ither like a brother.
The first they ca'd him Bellman-Johnnie,
Jamie the ither, a faithfu' cronie:
They sat them down to tak' a rest,
An' crack 'bout things as they thought best:
About their horrid acts of sin,
Auld Johnnie then did thus begin.
JOHNNIE.
Weel, Jamie man, how hae you been?
It's nine lang months sin' I've you seen;
An' how is trade now movin' wi' you?
An' how's your folk a' down beside you?
Weel, Jamie man, how hae you been?
It's nine lang months sin' I've you seen;
An' how is trade now movin' wi' you?
An' how's your folk a' down beside you?
JAMIE.
Troth Johnnie man, I'm gayan' weel,
But trade is locking rather ill:
Troth Johnnie man, I'm gayan' weel,
But trade is locking rather ill:
