( 17 )
mony a honeſt man's dochter has done, an liv'd a better life than I do.
Up gets Jocky an rins o'er the riggs for John Roger's wife, auld Katty the howdy, but or he wan back the parted wi' Patrick thro' perfect ſpite, an' then lay twa fauld o'er a ſtool in a ſwoon.
Jock. A weel, a weel, ſirs, ſince my firſt born is e'en dead without ſeeing the light o' the warld, ye s a get bread an cheeſe to the blyth meat; the thing we ſhou'd a war'd on the banket will fair the burrial, an that will be ſome advantage: an if Maggy ſhou'd die, I maun e en tak Janny, the tane is as far a length as the tither: I'ſe be furniſh'd wi' a wife atween the twa.
But Maggy turn'd better the next day, an was able to muck the byre; yet their gaed ſic a tittle tattling thro' the town, every auld wife tell't anither o't; an a the light hippet huſſies that rins between towns at een, tugging at their tow rocks, ſpread it round the kintry, an every body's mouth was filled wi' Jocky an Jenny, an how Maggy had parted wi' bairn.
At laſt Meſs John Hill hears of the horrid action, and ſends the elder of that quarter, and Clinkum Bell the grave maker, to ſummon Jocky and Jenny to the ſeſſion, and ſee how the ſtool of repentance wad let them. No ſooner had they catered the door but Maggy fa s a greeting an wringing her hands; Jockey's mither fell a flyting an be himſelf a rubbing his lugs, and riving his hair, ſaying,
B