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favourite diversion of shooting. He kills the birds, draws thei figures, and describes them.

WATTY AND MEG; OR, THE WIFE REFORMED

Keen the frosty winds war blawin',

Deep the snaw had wreath'd the ploughs,
Watty, weary'd a' day sawin',*

Daunert down to Mungo Blue's.

Dryster Jock was sitting cracky,
Wi' Pate Tamson o' the Hill,
"Come awa'," quo' Johnny, "Watty!
"Haith! we'se ha'e another gill."
Watty, glad to see Jock Jabos,

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And sae mony nei'bours roun',
Kicket frae his shoon the sna' ba's,
Syne ayont the fire sat down.
Owre a boord, wi' bannocks heapet,
Cheese, an' stoups, an' glasses stood;

Some war roarin', ithers sleepit,
Ithers quietly chewt their cude.
Jock was sellin' Pate some tallow,
A' the rest a racket hel',
A' but Watty, wha, poor fallow,
Sat and smoket by himsel'.
Mungo fill'd him up a toothfu',

Drank his health and Meg's in ane;

Watty, puffin' out a mouthfu',

Pledg'd him wi' a dreary grane.

"What's the matter, Watty, wi' you?
"Trouth your chafts are fa'ing in!
"Something's wrang-I'm vext too see you,
"Gudesake. but ye're desp'rate thin!"
"Aye," quo' Watty," things are alter'd,
"But it's past redemption now,
"O! I wish I had been halter'd
"When I marry'd Maggy Howe!
"I've been poor, and vext, and raggy,
"Try'd wi' troubles no that sma';
"Them I bore-but marrying Maggy
"Laid the cape-stane o' them a'.
"Night and day she's ever yelpin',
"Wi' the weans she ne'er can gree;
"Whan she's tir'd wi' perfect skelpin',
"Then she flees like fire on me.

* Sawing Timber.

"See ye, Mungo! when she'll clash on "Wi' her everlasting clack, "Whiles I've had my nieve, in passion, "Liftet up to break her back!" 'O! for gudesake, keep frae cuffets!" Mungo shook his head and said, "Weel I ken what sort o' life it's; 'Ken ye, Watty, how I did? 'After Bess and I war kippl'd, 'Soon she grew like ony bear, Brak' my shins, and, when I tippl'd, 'Harl'd out my very hair! For a wee I quietly knuckl'd, 'But whan naething wad prevail, Up my claes and cash I buckl'd, Bess! for ever fare ye weel. 'Then her din grew less and less ay, 'Haith I gart her change her tune: Now a better wife than Bessy 'Never step in leather shoon.

Try this, Watty.-Whan ye see her
'Ragin' like a roarin' flood,

"Swear that moment that ye'll lea' her
'That's the way to keep her gude.'
Laughing, sangs, and lasses' skirls,
Echo'd now out thro' the roof,
DONE! quo' Pate, and syne his arls
Nail'd the Dryster's wauket loof.
I' the thrang o' stories telling,

Shaking han's, and joking queer,
Swith! a chap comes on the hallan,
"Mungo! is our Watty here?”
Maggy's weel-kent tongue and hurry,
Dartet thro' him like a knife,
Up the door flew-like a fury,
In came Watty's scaulin' wife.
Nesty, gude-for-naething being!
"O ye snuffy drucken sow!
"Bringin' wife an' weans to ruin,
"Drinkin' here wi' sic a crew?
"Devil nor your legs war broken!
"Sic a life nae flesh endures-
"Toilin' like a slave, to sloken

"You, ye dyvor, and your 'hores!

"Rise! ye drucken beast o' Bethel !

"Drink's your night and day's desire;

"Rise, this precious hour! or faith I'll
"Fling your wisky i' the fire!"
Watty heard her tongue unhallow'd
Pay'd his groat wi' little din,
Left the house, while Maggy fallow'd,
Flyting a' the road behin'.

Fowk frae every door cam' lampin',
Maggy curst them ane and a`,
Clappit wi' her han's and stampin',
Lost her bauchels i' the sna.'

Hame, at length, she turn'd the gavel,
Wi' a face as white's a clout,
Ragin' like a very devil,

Kicken stools and chairs about.

"Ye'll sit wi' your limmers round you!
"Hang you, Sir! I'll be your death!
"Little hauds my han's confound you!
"But I cleave you to the teeth.'
Watty, wha midst this oration
Ey'd her whiles, but durstna speak,
Sat like patient Resignation
Trembling by the ingle cheek.
Sad his wee drap brose he sippet,
Maggy's tongue gaed like a bell,
Quietly to his bed he slippet,
Sighin' af'n to himsel'.

"Nane are free frae some vexation,
"Ilk ane has his ills to dree;
"But thro' a' the hale creation
"Is a mortal vext like me!"
A' night lang he rowt and gauntet,
Sleep or rest he cou'dna tak?
Maggy, aft wi' horror hauntet,
Mum'lin' startet at his back.
Soon as e'er the morning peepet,
Up raise Watty, waefu' chiel,
Kiss'd his weanies while they sleepet,
Wakent Meg, and saught fareweel.

"Farewell, Meg!-And, O! may Heav'n
"Keep you ay within his care:
"Watty's heart ye've lang been grievin',

"Now he'll never fash you mair.

"Happy cou'd I been beside you, "Happy baith at morn and e'en: "A' the ills did e'er betide you,

Watty ay turn'd out your frien'.

"But ye ever like to see me

"Vext and sighin', late and air."Fareweel, Meg! I've sworn to lea' thee; "So thou'll never see me mair."

Meg a' sabbin', sae to lose him, Sic a change had never wist, Held his han' close to her bosom, While her heart was like to burst. "O my Watty, will ye lea' me, "Frien'less, helpless, to despair! "O! for this ae time forgi'e me: "Never will I vex you mair." 16 Aye, ye've aft said that, and broken "A' your vows ten times a-weak. "No, no, Meg! See!-there's a token "Glitt'ring on my bonnet cheek. "Owre the seas I march this morning, "Listet, testet, sworn an' a', "Forc'd by your confounded girning; "Fareweel, Meg for I'm awa." Then poor Maggy's tears and clamour Gusht afresh, and louder grew, While the weans, wi' mournful' yaumer Round their sabbin' mother flew. "Thro' the yirth I'll waunor wi' you➡ "Stay, O Watty! stay at hame; "Here upo' my knees I'll gi'e you "Ony vow ye like to name.

" See your poor young lammies pleadin',
"Will ye gang an' break our heart?
"No a house to put our head in!
"No a frien' to take our part."

Ilka word came like a bullet,
Watty's heart begoud to shake;
On a kist he laid his wallet,

Dightet baith his een and spake. "If ance mair I cou'd by writing, "Lea' the sodgers and stay still, "Wad you swear to drap you flyting?" "Yes, O Watty! yes, I will!"

'Then," quo' Watty, " mind, be honest: "Ay to keep your temper strive; "Gin ye break this dreadfu' promise, "Never mair expect to thrive.

"Marget Howe! this hour ye solemn "Swear by every thing that's gude

"Ne'er again your spouse to scaul' him,
"While life warms your heart and blood-
"That ye'll ne'er in Mungo's seek me,➡
"Ne'er put drucken to my name—
"Never out at e'ening steek me-
"Never gloom when I come hame:
"That ye'll ne'er like Bessy Miller,
"Kick my shins, or rug my hair-
"Lastly, I'm to keep the siller,

"This upo' your saul ye swear?
"Oh!"-quo' Meg, "Aweel," quo' Watty,
"Fareweel!-faith I'll try the seas.'
"O stan' still," quo' Meg, and grat ay;
"Ony, ony way ye please."

Maggy syne, because he prest her,
Swore to a' thing owre again:
Watty lap, and danc'd and kiss'd her;
Wow! but he was won'rous fain.
Down he threw his staff victorious;
Aff gaed bonnet, claes, and shoon;
Syne aneath the blankets, glorious!
Held anither Hinny-Moon.

FROM THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE,

The Life" of the Late Arthur Murphy, Esq. Written by himself.
[From Foote's Life of Murphy.]

WE are informed by Tacitus, that Biography was at an early period of Rome greatly in vogue; and such was the wish of good and upright men to be known to posterity, that many thought fit to be their own historians, persuaded that in speaking of themselves, they should display an honest confidence in their moral conduct, not a spirit of arrogance or vain glory. He mentions

The interruptions which this narrative received are apparent from the inequality of the composition. I did not think, however, that it would become me to make any alterations for the sake merely of giving the style a literary uniformity. It is written, in some parts, without any artificial transition, in the first and third persons, to something like an occasional confusion of the sense. But as the important purpose of ascertaining the facts which it relates, is completely answered by it, unless where it appeared to want perspicuity, I have considered its very imperfections as sacred;-and I trust that the reader will sympathise with me in the venerating sentiment which has preserved the last pages of Mr. Murphy's pen, and the last exertions of his mind, from being corrected by me.

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