THE COURTING OF RIBEKKA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11430, 21 July 1900, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE COURTING OF RIBEKKA.

A STORY IN BRAID SCOTS.

A most amusing book in " braid Scots" is " My Man Sandy" (by Mr. J, B. Salmond), published by Messrs. Sands and Co. The following, which is part of a chapter on "Love and War," shows that the old, old story may be told in a new way: — As I was sarin', there's nae fules like auld fules. I put oot twa-three bits ' things on the green on Setarday forenune. an' I forgot a' aboot them till efter the shop was shut. 'It wild be near band tuul' o'clock when I ran doon for them. It was a fine nicht, but dreidfu' cauld. Juist as I was gaitherin' up the twa-three bit duds, I heard voices ower the dyke, an' 1 cudna but barken to see wha wud be oot at that time o' nicht. Fancy what I thocht when

I heard Beek Steein's voice, that bides in Mistress Mollisin's garret, sayin', " Eh, ay, Jeemie; it's an awfu' thing love. I hinna steekit an e'e for twa nichts thinkin' aboot

ye." Preserve's a', thinks I to mysel, this is Ribekka an' Jcems Ethart. 'the enginedriver. Jeems is a weeda man, an' Ribeklta's like me, she's on the wrang side o' 40; but, faigs, on Sctarday i icht you wudda thocht they were baith aboot five-an'-twentv.

" My boonie dooie," I heard Jeems say. A gey dooie, I says to mysel'. There's twal steen' o' her, if there' a pund. It wud tak a gey pair o' weengs to cairry Ribekka, 1 tell ye. "A'ye genna gie's a kiss, Ribekka';" Jeems'says" after a whilie; an' Ribekka gae a bit ge'egle. an' then whispers laich in, "Help yoursel', Jeemie"— there they were at it like twa young anes. I didna ken whuth'er to flee up the yarn!, roar oot " feyre," or dim' on the dyke an' gie them a wallop roond the tinders wi' ny bits o' cloots. So I stud still.

The dent a ane o' them ever thocht there was a livin' sowl within 50 yairds o' them, an' they were, crackin' an' kiirooin 1 r.na' like a pair o' doos. "Isn't a peety they dinna ra' me Iztk?" says Jeems.

" Hoo d'ye think that?" said Bibekka. "'Cause it wudda lookit so l ine— an' Ribekh, d'ye see?" an' tl.ey nickered mi' lunch like a' that.

"An' I wudda been Ribekka at the vail," said Reek.

Exactly." said .Teems; "altlio' this auld pump's hardly the kind o' wall they had in time days. I hope there's nae horn-gollodis about it."

"There's twal o'clock," said Ribekka, "we'll need to be goin'. Oude-nicht, Jeems. See an' mind about me. Glidenioht." "Gude-uk-ht. my ain bnnnie lassie," Jeems harken'd in' till her. "Pinna be feared o' me forget tin' ye. I never 1• ft a shuttle (>' coals but I think I sec your face. Every puff o' the engine brings me in mind o' vi'". Ribekka; an' when I sit doon to tak' my dernier. I hit fa' mv flagon whiles, I'm that taen up thinkin' aboot ye." " Eh, Jeems, you're eodiii' me non! Rut gudc-niehl ! Eh. mind ye, it's Sabbath 11:0111in. "Oude-nicht. my honnie lassie. Oh, Ribekka. you're sweeter gin heather honey. 1 wiss Sint Tammas Market -v;«s lire, mi' we'll be nae laiignr tw.i hut win. My bnnnie doot. Oude-nicht, my ain scent it geninum," says Jeems. I began to be nkindn wanmi-'h. c"ye ken. The haivers o' the twit spooney c rat lira juist garred me feel likes I'd taen a fizzy drink or something. You ken what I mean— kind o' a' offer kiltlie feelin' that's like to garr you screech, ye diuna ken boo. "Oude-nicht. Jeems'?'' says Beek again. " I'll never luvc onvbodv but von."

"Are vou sure?" began the auld ass again; an' me slanin' near frozen to death m' cauld. an' cudna get oot o' the bit. "Never!" said Peek; "never'" "Oude-nicht, than, dearie, an' sec an' no forget me. Will ye no"'"

"Ye ncedna be feared, .Teems. T luve you alone, an' nae it her body i' the wide, wide world. Oude-nicht, mv Jennie."

"(lude-nieht. then. Rebekkn, luvie. An' if von dinna forget—" But this was ower muckle for me: so I juist roared oot. " (iude-nieht, ye. haiverin' eedeits." as licitli as I cud yawl, an' up (he vaird at what I cud flee.

Sandy was lieddit on the hack o' ten o'clock an' he was snorin' like a dragoon when I gaed up the stair. But when I got annwer he jump up a' o' a sudden, like's he'd gotten a fleg.

"Keep me. Bawdie. whaur i' the face o' Ihe earth liac you been?" he says, wi' his ecu stanin' in's heid, an' drawin' in his breath like's a Winner o' cauld water had been okootit about him. "You've, shnrely been awa' at the whtilin'. Bless me, your fret's as ('fluid's an iceikle. Keep them awa' true me."

Isn't that juist like tlino men? Weemin can beat them in monv ways, 1 admit; but, for doonrichl selfishness, come your wa's!