BONNIE DRYFE.

Bonnie Dryfe, my native stream,

I have loved thee lang and dearly,

Glancing in the sunny beam,

Glinting through the bracken clearly.

Wayward, wandering, mountain bairn,

Dancing down thy glen so grassy,

Leaping light by cliff and cairn,

Gleesome as a muirland lassie.

Singing by the Roman moat,

Neighbours ye’ve been lang together,

Sadd’ning memories vex thee not,

Lilting blithely through the heather.

Seaward wandering, bright and free,

Dreaming not of Old World story;

Fallen empire’s nought to thee,

Older thou than Roman glory.

I have roamed by silver Tweed,

Stately Clyde majestic rushing,

Strayed where Highland rivers speed

O’er their rocky channels gushing.

Nane can sing a sang like thine,

Nane can dance so light and airy,

Nane can cheer this heart o’ mine

Like thee, thou merry mountain fairy.

William Gardiner.

Printed and Published by W. & R. Chambers, 47 Paternoster Row, London, and 339 High Street, Edinburgh.