CCL. THE SOLDIER'S DREAM. OUR bugles sang truce, for the night-cloud had lower'd, And the sentinel stars set their watch in the sky; And thousands had sunk on the ground over power'd, The weary to sleep, and the wounded to die. When reposing that night on my pallet of straw By the wolf-scaring faggot that guarded the slain, At the dead of the night a sweet Vision I saw; And thrice ere the morning I dreamt it again. Methought from the battle-field's dreadful array Far, far, I had roam'd on a desolate track: 'Twas Autumn,—and sunshine arose on the way To the home of my fathers, that welcomed me back. I flew to the pleasant fields traversed so oft In life's morning march, when my bosom was young; I heard my own mountain-goats bleating aloft, And knew the sweet strain that the cornreapers sung. Then pledged we the wine-cup, and fondly I swore From my home and my weeping friends never to part; My little ones kiss'd me a thousand times o'er, And my wife sobb'd aloud in her fulness of heart. "Stay-stay with us!-rest !-thou art weary and worn!" And fain was their war-broken soldier to stay ; But sorrow return'd with the dawning of morn, And the voice in my dreaming ear melted away. T. Campbell. CCLI. CA' THE YOWES. CA' the yowes to the knowes, Ca' them where the burnie rows, As I gaed down the water side, Will ye gang down the water side, I was bred up at nae sic school, And naebody to see me. Ye shall get gowns and ribbons meet, If ye'll but stand to what ye've said, While waters wimple to the sea, CCLII. AULD ROBIN GRAY. WHEN the sheep are in the fauld, and the kye at hame, And a' the weary warld to rest are gane, The waes o' my heart fa' in show'rs frae my e'e, While my gudeman lies sound by me. Young Jamie lo'ed me weel, and sought me for his bride; But saving a crown, he had naething else beside: To mak' the crown a pound, my Jamie gaed to sea And the crown and the pound were baith for me. He had na been awa' a week but only twa, stown awa'; My mother she fell sick, and my Jam sea ! And auld Robin Gray came a courtin' the My father couldna work, and my mother couldna spin; I toil'd day and night, but their bread I couldna win; Auld Rob maintain'd them baith, and wi' tears in his e'e Said, “Jennie, for their sakes, O, marry me!” My heart it said nay; I look'd for Jamie back; But the wind it blew high, and the ship it was a wrack; His ship it was a wrack-why didną Jamie dee? Or why do I live to cry, Wae's me? My father urgit sair: my mother didna speak; But she look'd in my face till my heart was like to break : They gi'ed him my hand, tho' my heart was in the sea; Sae auld Robin Gray is gudeman to me. I hadna been a wife a week but only four, When sitting sae mournfully ae night at the door, I saw my Jamie's wraith, for I couldna think it he, Till he said, "I'm come hame for to marry thee." O sair did we greet, and muckle did we say, gang like a ghaist, and I carena to spin ; Burna think on Jamie, for that wad be a sin ; do my best a gude wife to be, Robin Gray is kind unto me. For a Lady A. Lindsay. CCLIII. THE LAND O' THE LEAL. I'm wearin' awa', John, Like snaw-wreaths in thaw, John, I'm wearin' awa' To the land o' the leal! There's nae sorrow there, John, In the land o' the leal. Our bonnie bairn's there, John, To the land o' the leal. But sorrow's sel' wears past, John, In the land o' the leal. Sae dear that joy was bought, John, To the land o' the leal. Oh! dry your glistening e'e, John, To the land o' the leal. Oh! haud ye leal and true, John, To the land o' the leal. Now fare ye weel, my ain John, We'll meet, and aye be fain, In the land o' the leal.-Lady Nairn |