Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-11-12
OLD
FAVORl 7 t. T.: 5
The COtter's SATURDAY Night.

! ~O~cS~O~~%O~O~~~-o~Ns
The Cotter'. Saturday Night.
At length his lonely cot appears in view
Beneath the shelter of an aged tree:
Th' eXpectant wee things, toddlin
stucher thro'
To meet their dad. WI fichterin noise
an glce.
His wee bit ingle, blinkin bonnily,
His clean heartl-Stane, his thiiftie wiie's
smile,
The hSping infant prattlng on his knee,
Does n his weary. carking cares beguile
An makes him quite forget his labor and
his toll.
Belyve, the elder BARNS come drappin'
i'll,
At service out, amang the farmers roun',
Some ca the plOw, some herd some
tentie rim
A cannie errand to neebor town.
But now the supper crowns their simple
board,
The halesome parritch chief o. Scotia 3
food:
The sowpe their only hawke does afford,
That 'yont the hallen snugly elbows her
Good;
The dame brings forth in complimental
mood,
To grace the lad, her well-hain'd kebbuck
An aft he's prest, an aft he cas- it guild !;
The frugal wife, garrulous, will tell,
How twas Il tOwmond auld, sn'lnt was
i the bell.
The cheerful supper done, wi serious
face,
They, round the ingle. form circle wide
The sire turns Ger wi patriarchal grace,
The big ha' Bible, ance his fathers
pride;
His bonnet rev 'renty is laid aside,
His lyart haiIets wearing thin an bare;
Those strains that once did sweet in
Zion glide,
He wales a portion with judcious care;
And Let us worship God!" he says,
with solemn air.
The pricst-lil,e father reads the sacred
page,
How Abram was the friend of God on
high;
Or. Moses babe eternal warfare wage
With Amalek's ungracious progeny;
Or how the royal bard did grooming lie
Beneath the stroke of Heav'n's aveng-
ing ire:
Or Jobs pathetic plant, and wailng cry;
Or rapt Isaiah's wild, seraphic fire.
Or other holy seers that tune the sacred
Tyre.
Then knecing down to Heavens Eternal
King.
The saint, the father and the husband
prays:
Hope Springs exultng on triumphant
wing"
That thus they all shall meet in future
days:
There ever bask in uncreated rays,
No more to sigh. or shed the bitter tear,
Together hymning their Creators praise
In such society, yet still more dear;
While circling time moves round in an
eternal sphere.
Then homeward all take off their sev'ral
way;
The youngling cottagers retire to rest;
The parent-pair their secret homage pay,
And protfer up to Heaven the warm re-
quest.
That He. who stills the ravens clam
rous nest,
And decks the lily fair in Aow'ry pride,
Would in the way his wisdom sees the
best,
For them and for their little ones pro.
vide;
But, chiefly. in their hearts with grace
divine preside.
o Scotia; my dear, my native soil.
For whom my warmest wish to Heaven
is sent.
Long may thy hardy sons of rustic toll
Be blessed with health, and peace, and
sweet content
And, O! may Heaven their simple lives
prevent
From mxury's contagion, weak and vile.
Then, howe'er crowns and coronets be
rent
A virtuous populace may rise the while.
And stand n wall Of fire around their
much-lov'd isle.
O Thou! who poured the patriotic tide
That stream'd thro' Wallace's undaunted
heart,
who dared to nobly stem tyrannic pride,
Or noby die. the second glorious part:
CThe PATRIOTS God peculiarly thou art,
His friend, inspirer. guardian, and re-
wardo
o never never, ScOtias realm desert;
But still the patriot, and the patriot
bard,
In bright succession raise, her ornament
and guard!
Robert Burns.