 | Poems and Essays of a Miscellaneous Character on Subjects of General Interest |  |
111
COUSIN BELL.
AN INCIDENT IN REAL LIFE.
A dark fir-wud hings ower the burn,
That wannerin' jinks roun' monny a turn,
Far doon oot through the lanely dell,
By whilk ance leev't my Cousin Bell.
That wannerin' jinks roun' monny a turn,
Far doon oot through the lanely dell,
By whilk ance leev't my Cousin Bell.
A strappin', gracefu', blithesome queen,
Wi' coal-black hair an' glancin' een;
Nae muirlan' lass mair trig an' snell—
An' jist nineteen was Cousin Bell.
Wi' coal-black hair an' glancin' een;
Nae muirlan' lass mair trig an' snell—
An' jist nineteen was Cousin Bell.
Her faither rentit a bit mailin',
It wadna pay—his health was failin';
He had nae dochter but hersel',
But brithers seven had Cousin Bell.
It wadna pay—his health was failin';
He had nae dochter but hersel',
But brithers seven had Cousin Bell.
“Callants,” quo' he, “nae mair we'll toil
For nocht; we'll seek anither soil;
Yon joiner lad, ye've a' heard tell,
Will wed an' keep at hame oor Bell.”
For nocht; we'll seek anither soil;
Yon joiner lad, ye've a' heard tell,
Will wed an' keep at hame oor Bell.”
112
For Canada they made them boune—
A house was ta'en in the neist toon,
Whar wi' her young guidman to dwell,
Weel ettle't she—oor Cousin Bell.
A house was ta'en in the neist toon,
Whar wi' her young guidman to dwell,
Weel ettle't she—oor Cousin Bell.
Ae Sabbath sittin in the kirk,
Her heart grew caul', her een grew mirk;
Ye couldna guess what there befell
Tae blast the luve, the life o' Bell.
Her heart grew caul', her een grew mirk;
Ye couldna guess what there befell
Tae blast the luve, the life o' Bell.
Purpose o' marriage was proclaimed
'Tween her betroth'd an' ane they named—
Intae her faither's arms she fell,
“Oh, tak' me wi' ye!” murmur'd Bell.
'Tween her betroth'd an' ane they named—
Intae her faither's arms she fell,
“Oh, tak' me wi' ye!” murmur'd Bell.
On board they laid her in her berth,
For she was dune wi' a' on yirth;
They thocht the waves wad ring her knell,
An' hide the pale, sweet face o' Bell.
For she was dune wi' a' on yirth;
They thocht the waves wad ring her knell,
An' hide the pale, sweet face o' Bell.
Her weary head she seldom shiftit;
Her mournfu' een she seldom liftit—
Oh! wae betide the traitor fell
That brak the heart o' Cousin Bell.
Her mournfu' een she seldom liftit—
Oh! wae betide the traitor fell
That brak the heart o' Cousin Bell.
She kiss't them a'—her mither's cheek
She langest presst—but didna speak;
But time an' change can ne'er expel
Their love an' grief for Sister Bell.
She langest presst—but didna speak;
But time an' change can ne'er expel
Their love an' grief for Sister Bell.
113
She leev't tae see the promist lan'—
The icy waves that lash the stran'
Of great St Lawrence rung her knell—
Rest, rest in peace, dear Cousin Bell.
The icy waves that lash the stran'
Of great St Lawrence rung her knell—
Rest, rest in peace, dear Cousin Bell.
On far Iowa's prairie lan',
Four yet survive o' that fair ban';
An' aften mournfu' memories swell
The brithers' hearts for Sister Bell!
Four yet survive o' that fair ban';
An' aften mournfu' memories swell
The brithers' hearts for Sister Bell!
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