Page:Poems Douglas.djvu/76

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70
the seaside village.
Wi' ilk ither they vied in apartments sae braw,
Venetian-screen'd windows, an' carpeted ha';
Oh! sic smart rat-tat-tats as would sound frae ilk door,
An' sic rustlin' o' silks to the breeze on the shore.
Ae season's commencement, as days came in warm,
An' ilk brocht arrivals frae fashion's gay swarm.
A stranger, wi' broo brunt as yellow as gowd,
W71' boots awfu' stoury, made way through the crowd.
He carried a staff an' sma' bundle in han',
An' wi' little concern like rubbed claes wi' the gran';
He made a fu' stop as a house met his view,
Where "Apartments to let" shone the window glass through.
Then he rang the door bell, wi' a confident cheek,
An' a message sent ben for the lady to speak.
A rustle o' silks—twas the mistress hersel'—
But at sicht o' the bundle her countenance fell:
An' "What was ye wantin'?" in sharp tones she cried;
"To take your apartments," the stranger replied.
"Na, na! No my rooms; ye'll hae farther to gang:"
An' the door amaist dunted his heels wi' its bang.
"What s the warld turned to, oh, dear me! oh, dear!
A man wi' a bundle to seek lodgings here!"
Caught his ear as the half-open window he passed,
But the confident chiel no a bit seemed downcast,
For the next, an' the next, an' the next door he tried,
Though still unsuccessfu' where'er he applied.
At length, when he'd search'd the proud village a' o'er,
Ane civilly pointed across to a door,