THE SEQUEL.
Now, loving friends I hae you left,
Ye ken I neither stole nor reft,
But when I found myself infeft,
In a young Jack,
I did resolve to change the haft
For that mistak’.
An’ reasons mae I had anew,
For I had neither horse nor cow;
My stock took wings an’ aff it flew,
Sae a’ was gone,
An’ deil a flee had I was new
Except young John.
Too aft my thirsty throat to cool,
I went to visit the punch bowl,
Which makes me now wear reddish wool
Instead o’ black;
Or I must foot the cutty stool
Wi’ deil a plack.
The chappen-stoup, the pint an’ gill,
Too aft I caused for to fill,
Ay loving those wha would sit still,
An’ wet the mouth,
Ne’er minding that the Tullo-hill,
Leads people south.
O but that loving laird Kingswells
My blessings flow where his foot swells,
Lang life to him whate’er befals,
God be his guide,
He’s cured a thousand thirsty sauls,
An’ mine beside.
O had I but thae days again,
Which I sae freely spent in vain,
I’d strive some better for to ken.
What future chance
Should blaw me here out o’er the main,
An’ sae near France.
But since that ills maun ay befall
The chiel that will be prodigal;
When wasted to the very spaul
He turns his tusk,
For want o’ comfort to his saul,
On hungry husk.
Now since I’m aff sae mony a mile,
There’s naething got without some toil,
I’ll wait; cross fortune yet may smile,
Come want, come wealth,
I’ll tak’ a pint in the mean while,
To Heilden’s health.
Sae, for a time, friends fare ye weel,
My pot companions, true and leel,
I wish ye all a merry yule,
Much mirth and glee
Nae mair young Jacks into the creel
That day for me.
Some other Yule may yet cast up,
When we again shall meet,
To drown our sorrows in a cup,
In case we live to see’t.