4
Now a better wife than Bessy
never stept in leather shoon.
Try this Watty-Whan ye see her
raging like a roarin flood!
Swear that moment that ye'll lea' her!
that's the way to keep her gude."
Laughing, sangs, and lassies, skirls,
echo'd now out through the roof;
Done, quo' Pate, and syne his erls,
nail't the Dryster's wauket loof;
I' the thrangest stories telling,
shaking hauns, and ither cheer,
Swith! a chap comes in the hallan,
!Mungo, is our Watty here?"
Maggy's weel kent tongue and hurry,
darted through him like a knife !
Up the door flew like a fury!
in came Watty's scaulin wife;
Scarcely had she crossed the thrashold,
till she rais'd a clam'rous din,
Which made Watty shak an' tremble,
for to hear her thus begin:
"Ye nasty gude-for-naething being!
O ye snuffy drunken sow!
Bringan wife an' weans to ruin,
drinkin' here wi' sic a crew!
Devil nor your legs were broken!
sic a life na flesh endures,
Toilan like a slave to slocken
you, you dyvour, and your 'hores,
