CXLI.

THE WIDOW'S WAIL

Now clos'd for aýe thy coal-black een,

That fondly gaz'd on me,- O Willy,
And lifeless lies that manly form,

I aye was fain to see my Willy.
Ah! luckless hour thou strave for hame,

Last night, across the Clyde—dear Willy, This morn a stiffen'd corse brought hame,

Alake, 'tis hard to bide— o Willy.

The owlet hooted sair yestreen,

And thrice the soot it felldear Willy, The tyke cam' late, and howl'd aloud,

It seem'd the dying knell o' Willy. Deep were the snaws, keen were my waes,

The bairns oft cried for thee,-their Willy, I trembling said, he'll soon be here,

The wee things ne'er clos'd e'e, Willy.

And when I saw the thick sleet fa',

A bleezing fire I made for Willy,
Then watch'd, and watch'd as it grew dark,

And I grew mair. afraid for Willy.
I thought I heard the pony's foot,

And ran thy voice to hear,--ah, Willy, The wind blew hollow, but nae sound My sinking heart did cheer-- 0 Willy.

The clock struck ane,--the clock struck twa,

The clock struck three and four-no Willy, I thought I heard the pony's foot,

And flew to ope the door to Willy; The pony neigh’d—but thou wert lost,

I sank upon the snaw, for Willy, Thy wraith appear'd e'en where I lay,

And whisper'd thou wert drown'd-o Willy

The moon was up, in vain I sought

The stiffen'd corse o' thine, lost Willy, 'Twill soon, soon mingle wi' the dust,

And near it sae will mine-O'Willy. Gae dry your tears, my bairnies five,

Gae dry your tears o' sorrow, dearies, Your father's cares are at an end,

And sae will mine ere morrow, dearies,

Can a crown give content. : 36
Or a palace give peace,

Ah, say, ah, say, did they ever?
Can pomp care prevent, 10999 *TAR!
Or our pleasures encrease? TT

Ah, no, ah, no, no, never ! A
Then excuse me, nor frown, if my choice must approve,
The cot of content, with the lad that I love.

When we put on a ring. Nyr
That a suiter may bring,

It binds us, it binds us, for ever;
But the hand without heart,
Can it blessing impart?

Ah, no, ah, no, no never!
Then excuse me, nor frown, if my choice must approve,
The cot of content, with the lad that I love.

* From the Opera of the “ Mall of the Mill.".

CXLIII.

FEE HIM, FATHER, FEE HIM".

Saw ye Johnnie commin, quo' she

Saw ye Johnnie commin;
O saw ye Johnnie commin quo’she,
Saw ye Johnnie commin;

TED
Saw ye Johnnie commin, quo' she,

Saw ye Johnnie commin,
Wi' his blue bonnet on his head,

And his doggie rinnin', quo' she,
And his doggie rinnin'?

*" This song, for genuine humour in the verses, and lively originality in the air, is unparalelled. I take it to be very old.” It differs a little from that inserted in Cromek's select Scottish Songs by Burns. In the second stanza, that of Cromek wants two lines, Fee him, &c. which is immaterial, but in the last stanza, the difference is greater. That which Cromek has printed, would no doubt be current at the time Burns' lived, but from the coarseness of the ending it is highly improbable.'

Fee him, father, fee him, quo' she,

Fee him, father, fee him;
O fee him, father, fee him, quo' she,

Fee him, father, fee him ;
For he is a gallant lad,

And a weel doing, quo' she;
And a' the wark about the house

Gaes wi' me when I see him, quo' she,
Gaes wi' me when I see him.

What will I do wi' him? quo' he,

What will I do wi' him? He's ne'er a sark upon his back,

And I hae nane to gi'e him. I hae twa sarks into my kist,

And ane o' them I'll gi'e him ;
And for a mark o'mair fee,

Dinna stand wi' him, quo' she,'
Dinna stand wi' hím. .

For weel do I lo'e him, quo' she,

Weel do I lo’e him;
For weel do I lo'e him, quo' she,

Weel do I lo'e him.
O fee him, father, fee him, quo' she,

Fee him, father, fee him;
He'll had the pleugh, thrash in the barn,

And crack wi' me at e'en, quo' she,
And crack wi' me at e'en. .