Their eldest hope, their Jenny, woman grown, In youthfu' bloom, love sparkling in her e'e, Comes hame, perhaps, to shew a braw new gown, Or deposite her sair-won penny-fee, To help her parents dear, if they in hardship be. V. With joy unfeign'd, brothers and sisters meet, An' each for other's weelfare kindly spiers: The social hours, swift-wing'd, unnotic'd fleet; Each tells the unco's that he sees or hears; The parents, partial, eye their hopeful years; Anticipation forward points the view. The mother, wi' her needle an' her sheers, Gars auld claes look amaist as weel's the new ; The father mixes a' wi' admonition due. VI. Their master's an' their mistress's command, And mind your duty, duly, morn, and night! Lest in temptation's path ye gang astray, Implore His counsel and assisting might : They never sought in vain, that sought the Lord aright!" VII. But, hark! a rap comes gently to the door; Sparkle in Jenny's e'e, and flush her cheek, name, While Jenny hafflins is afraid to speak; Weel pleas'd the mother hears, it's nae wild, worth less rake. VIII. Wi' kindly welcome, Jenny brings him ben; The father cracks of horses, pleughs, and kye. The youngster's artless heart o'erflows wi' joy, But blate au' laithfu', scarce can weel behave ; The mother, wi' a woman's wiles, can spy What makes the youth sae bashfu' and sae grave; Weel pleas'd to think her bairn's respected like the lave. IX. O happy love! where love like this is found! "If heaven a draught of heavenly pleasure spare, One cordial in this melancholy vale, 'Tis when a youthful, loving, modest pair In other's arms, breathe out the tender tale, Beneath the milk-white thorn that scents the ev❜ning gale." X. Is there, in human form, that bears a heart- That can, with studied, sly, ensnaring art, Points to the parents fondling o'er their child? Then paints the ruin'd maid, and their distraction wild? XI. But now the supper crowns their simple board, That 'yont the hallan snugly chows her cood: The frugal wifie, garrulous, will tell, How 'twas a towmond auld, sin' lint was i' the bell. XII. The cheerfu' supper done, wi' serious face, His lyart haffets wearing thin an' bare; Those strains that once did sweet in Zion glide, He wales a portion with judicious care; And 'Let us worship God!' he says, with solemn air. XIII. They chant their artless notes in simple guise; The tickl'd ear no heart-felt raptures raise; XIV. The priest-like father reads the sacred page, How Abram was the friend of God on high; Or, Moses bade eternal warfare wage With Amalek's ungracious progeny; Or how the royal bard did groaning lie Beneath the stroke of Heaven's avenging ire; Or Job's pathetic plaint, and wailing cry; Or rapt Isaiah's wild, seraphic fire; Or other holy seers that tune the sacred lyre. XV. Perhaps the Christian volume is the theme, Saw in the sun a mighty angel stand; And heard great Bab'lon's doom pronounced by Heaven's command. XVI. Then kneeling down, to HEAVEN'S ETERNAL KING, The saint, the father, and the husband prays : Hope' springs exulting on triumphant wing,'* That thus they all shall meet in future days: * Pope's Windsor Forest. |