3
Mungo filled him up a toothfu',
Drank his health and Meg's in ane,
Watty, puffing out a mouthfu',
Pledged him wi' a dreary grane.
‘ What's the matter, Watty, wi' you?
Trouth your chafts are fa'in in!
Something's wrang—I'm vexed to see you-
Gudesake! but ye're desperate thin!'
‘ Ay,' quo' Watty, ‘things are altered,
But it's past redemption now,
L—d! I wish I had been haltered
When I married Maggie Howe!
I've been poor, and vexed, and raggy,
Tried wi' troubles no that sma';
Them I bore-but marrying Maggy
Laid the cap-stane o' them a',
Night a day she's ever yelping,
Wi' the weans she ne'er can gree,
When she's tired with perfect skelping,
Then she flees like fire on me.
See ye, Mungo! when she'll clash on
Wi' her everlasting clack,
Whiles I've had my neive in passion.
Liftet up to break her back!’
O, for gudesake, keep frae cuffets!
Mungo shook his head and said,
‘ Weel I ken what sort of life it's;
But, ken ye, Watty, how I did?
After Bess and I were kippled,
Soon she grew like ony bear,
Brak' my shins, and when I tippled
Harl't out my verra hair.
