TOWSER: A TRUE TALE. "Dogs are honest creatures. Ne'er fawn on any that they love not; They ne'er betray their masters." In mony an instance, without doubt, With deference to our great Lavaters, Wha judge o' mankind by their features, There's mony a smiling, pleasant-fac'd cock That wears a heart no worth a custock, While mony a visage, antic, droll, O'erveils a noble, gen'rous soul. With Towser this was just the case, He had an ill-faur'd, tawtie face, His make was something like a messin, But big, and quite unprepossessin'. His master coft him frae some fallows, Wha had him doom'd unto the gallows, Because (sae happ'd poor Towser's lot) He wadna tear a comrade's throat; Yet in affairs of love or honour He'd stand his part amang a hun'er, An' whare'er fighting was a merit, He never failed to shaw his spirit. He never girn'd in neighbour's face, But what adds maistly to his fame, 'Twas in the month o' cauld December, Set out to the neist burrow town, His business done, 'twas near the gloamin', Come weal, come wae, he took the road. It blew directly in his face. Whiles 'gainst the footpath stabs he thumped, For fierce the winds did o'er him hiss, As on a rock, far, far frae land, Twa shipwreck'd sailors shiv'ring stand, If chance a vessel they desery, Their hearts exult with instant joy. Sae was poor Towser joy'd to hear The tread o' travellers drawing near; He ran an' yowl'd, and fawn'd upon 'em, But couldna make them understand him, Till tugging at the foremost's coat, He led them to the mournfu' spot Where, cauld and stiff, his master lay, To the rude storm a helpless prey. Wi' Caledonian sympathy, They bore him kindly on the way, Until they reach'd a cottage bein, They tauld the case, were welcom'd inThe rousin' fire, the cordial drop, Restor'd him soon to life and hope; Fond raptures beam'd in Towser's eye, An' antic gambols spake his joy. Wha reads this simple tale may see The worth of sensibility, And learn frae it to be humane- GLOOMY WINTER'S NOW AWA'. "Gloomy winter's now awa', Saft the westlin' breezes blaw, The mavis sings fu' cheery, O! Come, my lassie, let us stray 'Midst joys that never weary, O! Towering o'er the Newton woods, Laverocks fan the snaw-white clouds, Siller saughs, wi' downy buds, Adorn the banks sae briery, O! Round the sylvan fairy nooks Unless wi' thee, my dearie, O! LOUDOUN'S BONNIE WOODS AND "Loudoun's bonnie woods and braes, Loudoun's bonnie woods and braes "Hark! the swelling bugle sings, Yielding joy to thee, laddie, But the dolefu' bugle brings Waefu' thoughts to me, laddie. Lanely I maun climb the mountain, Lanely stray beside the fountain, Still the weary moments countin', Far frae love and thee, laddie. O'er the gory fields of war, Where vengeance drives his crimson car, Thou'lt maybe fa', frae me afar, And nane to close thy e'e, laddie." "O! resume thy wonted smile! O! suppress thy fears, lassie! That the soldier shares, lassie; Till the day we die, lassie: MIDGES DANCE ABOON THE BURN. The midges dance aboon the burn; The pairtricks down the rushy holm Now loud and clear the blackbird's sang Rings through the briery shaw, While flitting gay, the swallows play Around the castle wa'. Beneath the golden gloaming sky The mavis mends her lay; Their little nestlings torn, Gaes jinking through the thorn. The roses fauld their silken leaves, The honeysuckle and the birk Spread fragrance through the dell. |