Page:Poems Douglas.djvu/19

Nae nippin' blast blaws through their costly array,
An' their boardis spread sumptuously every day.
Thitherward our twa trav'llers direc'ed their feet,
Noo sinkin' in snaw-drift, noo blin' wi' the sleet,
Wi' limbs amaist frozen, scarce able to stan';
At the door o' the area, the front seems too gran',
They timidly chappit, but cook didna hear,
For the snaw-laden blast whistled loudly an' drear.
Then they knocked loud and louder, an' shiver'd an' stood,
Till she half ope'd the door, in nae mitherly mood.
"Gang awa, clatty things," she roared out, "gang awa,
Ye canna be ser'd—comin' here i' the snaw,
Garrin' folks ope the door till it drifts in their face;"
And she dauded it tae wi' a tarmigent grace.
Dumfounder'd they stood, wi' her words in their ear,
No a tongue could they move, no a fit could they steer,
Till Tam faltered out, wi' his teeth chatt'rin' sair,
"Ah, Jessie, but puir folks hae muckle to bear,—
She tak's us for beggars come seekin' our bread."
"Whist, Tam; dinna say that; it gars my heart bleeds
Come roun' to the front an' we'll ring the ha' bell,
And say that our errand's to the leddy hersel'."
Embaulden'd by feelin' they saucht but their due,
The orphans stood ringin' with courage anew.
A lacquay tripped licht ower the carpeted flair,
Wi' gowd lace on his doublet an' oil on his hair;