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mine again; if they had tell’d me, tuts, or prute no. I laid them o’er my knee, and a com’d crack for crack o’er their hurdies, like a knock beetle on a harn, web, till the red wats stood on their hips; this brought obedience into my house- and banisn'd dods and ill nature out of the door ; I dang the de’il out o’ them, and dadded them like a wet dish-clout, till they did my bidding ; but now the bairns are brought up to spit fire in their mither’s face, and cast dirt at their auld daddies : How can they be good, who never saw a sample of it : or reverence old age, who practised no piecepts is their youth ? How can they love their parents, who gave them black poision instead of good principles; who snewed them no good example ? Now, after all, when a poor man wants a good wife, let him wale ane that has been lang servant in ae house, well liked by the bairns, and the bairns' nither ; that’s the lass that will make a good wife : For them that dauts the young bairns, will ay be kind to auld fooks an they had them.
FINIS.
