The De'il in Merton.

Otago Witness, Issue 1928, 2 November 1888, Page 37

The De'il in Merton.

Ac day as I cam' lanely name, I saw a sight, ye'd .hardly blurne Me if I tauld ye that my warne Crin'd In wi' fear ; • I doubt I canna gie't a name, But ye shall hear. A gentle drizzlin' rain did fa', Wi' scarce a sough as ye mlgbt ca\ To slant the draps. Ahent a woI took a seat, I thought 0' maist things great an' ama' O' man's estate. 'Twas Sabbath c'en, the mair my care To think how mick!e godly fare— The songs 0' praise, the pitlhi* pray'r— Had made me blest, The sermon makln' micklo maif" An' a' I'd miss'd. Upon the hill the kirk's rel light Look'd ghaljfcly through the misty night, The lanely kirkyard lay in sight, A place o' dread ; Naught gie's a livin' saul sic fright As ano that's dead. I glinhrd round .in' barely speer'd, If maist the dead was t > be feared Or maist the hvin' ? when appeared Wi' prt'senc} fell, Just as I maist n' doubt had cleared, The De'il himsel' ! I glower'd ah him, he glowerM at me. " bo, ho ! what brings ye here?" quo' he. " At least na' ill." quo'"l ; •' 1 dree Yo'vo other bent." He shook his lugs mi' lough wi' glee At my comment. " Ye're right," quo' he, .syne wi' a acowl That c'en a dog to see'fc wnd howl. His c'en as though he were a ghoul Blaz'd in his head : I thought o' a' dread things maist foul, But took na dread. " And dar' ye then to mak'." quo' he. •' Umbrageous qurstion touching mo? " Quo' I, " I like civility ; ■ If yf-'iethodeevil, Yo'll do yoursel' sma' wrang to be Somewhat malr civil." " An' what if I should be the same Ye heedlessly enou' do name ? " Quo' I, " Mair pity then, gae hame And change yonr plan, Pray ye the satinta by ev'ry name Mak' ye a man. He cnost his ire, syne wi' a rout That brought tho slcepin' echoes out, Ye might ha' thought a herd n* nowt 11 -id broken loose ; The vera stanes dirr'd wi' ilk shout, He laughed sac crouso. " At least," quo' I, " ye wad ha* still (As I ha' read) your am free will, Wi' hope aboon ilk other ill, To be yet blest ; Whereas your cliauci'B no' arc nil Ev'n at tho best." •' Ablins yore right," quo' hff. " Mankind In that whereto he's maist inclin'd Sac veel afiecta a devil's mind, 1 ha' some shame, In that I am sao far bshind, To tak' the name." " Faith, no' you're in your merry pants, Would play th' clown wi' jibes and taunts ; But this I'll say, howe'er ifc daunts My heart to tel: Your ministors nre maistly eaunts, Ye're aye yourael 1 ." He glinted at me where I sat, Dubious a wee what I was at ; Weel pleased ah length, he couched and spat, And turned and sighed— I fairly thought he wad ha' grat As ho replied -. " My certie* 1 but your candour draws Fra' me much merited applause ; I'll honour't with a twalmonf ha pause My business here, An' ye at me as fancy ca'a The while may speor." " I'll tak' your word. First yo'll confide What ye wad hero on Mori on side ; Na doubt yo wnd some hobby ride To our undoin', Or Borne unwary morlal guido T' etornal rulu." " An' sfie to manifest concern, An' speer at me on what nu erran* I'm hither come amang tho fern. Wlmr' bird* are lmifch : Like man like de'il as yo slmll learn, Is law for baith. " I tak' the tide o' Nature's laws, As ye flo, to advance my cause— At limes a failure fairly chaws, An 1 garms mo pirn ; But in a thread there's mony throws To fill a pirn. " My thoughts were kindly, as yell seo— I merely thought a lnd to gi'e To ilky lass was fancy free, An' cam' to view't ; This drizzlin* wee*; was wrought by me, An' it shall do'fc. " Yo ken tho lass"3 here are shy, The 3' gang in groups an* look abye. Till lads despairin' northward hie Forbllfcherfaitin', An' sac I took "> thought to try My hand at pairin'." " I n^ver doub' ed 0' your skill," Quo' I ; " but how you'll work your will Amang the week to'brew us ill, » Maybe yell tell us?" Quo' ho, and glinted ower the hill— " They've umbrellas ! 41 An 1 here they come. Sac no' I'll free ye, Mayhap c- c lang as>ain yell sco mo. Watch ower th-m, though the Guid may fee ye, They'll tnk' na' scaith ; Doubt na' my wora", though now I lea' ye, I'll keep my aith." Syne wi' a wh'sk he was awa', I was a'ane ahent the wa\ The kirkers cam' on twa by twa, I thought atween. Ilk couple as they passed I saw The glint 0' *8 e'en. 'Twas fancy. maybe, be it sac— I may ha' doubts, but winna say ; Howe'er it be thus much I may, (An 1 what were fittei ?) When twa heads 'neath ac gingham play To hear some titter. But tnk' advice, an 1 ha' a care That ye may rede temotation's snare, An' maistly o' joursel's'beware, Or ye may rue ; Self-confidence is .1 pad snare Afc times, I trow. Well pleased am I to note the case, Naught wrang has bap'd about the place This twalmonth back— nae eair disgrace ; But redeye no'l He's free again, yell ha" to face Temptations new. Be blithe as ye were wont to be, Nor think it wrang to laugh a wee, Some confidence to others gi'o, But mindfu' aye rora'thatwi'yegAngaatj'e - Ye ha' to pay. _ W , T. Merton, October 16.