Elder Aminadab Monteith.

Otago Witness, Issue 2051, 15 June 1893, Page 50

Elder Aminadab Monteith.

Widow Keith— she lived at Leith— her hair yet | glinted yellow ; ! Elder Aminadab Monteith— he lived at Porto- j bello ; And Elder Aminadab Monteith was a kindly, canny fellow. Widow Keith— she cast her weeds at Giles's Kirk on Sunday; „,,,.. Elder Aminadab Monteith was told by Mistress So' Elder Aminadab abstained from going to Leith on Monday. Widow Keith— she baked her cake and brewed her tea securely ; " Elder Aminadab not come ? He's throng with business surely ! Jean, bring in, and I'll begin." And so she did, demurely. Tuesday came and Thursday came and; Friday came as well, O ! Ne'er a line, nor ne'er a sign, from the coasts of Portobello ; For Elder Aminadab Monteith was a wary, wiselike fellow. Widow Keith came up from Leith. at nine on Saturday morning, Bought some ribbon in Princes street, and frills for fine adorning— Ran against Elder Aminadab without one moment's warning ! " Guidsake me ! Is't you, Monteith ? What kept ye, man, on Monday?" , "I could not come— l judged it best— l heard o you on Sunday ; You've cast your weeds, and my wifes dead, and— and— and— Mistress G-rundy !" Widow Keith showed twelve white teeth— her laugh rang keen and clearly ; "Elder Aminadab Monteith, ye fit your phrases queerlv! , , , Mistress Elizabeth Monteith— although ye loved her dearly — "Went dead as naih ten years ago, and a hilltop grave yegiedher; Just tell me, now, in plain auld Scots, nas sne deed ony deider ? And as for him I've loved and lost, he chose his own succeeder ! " Elder Aminadab Monteith, he thought the earth was quaking ; Anon he knew his own two knees for some queer cause were shaking ; "O, Majorie! Who may that be? My heart— my heart is breaking ! " Widow Keith— she turned towards Leith, " The morning's morn it's Sunday— Yell walk to kirk with my frills and me, and outface Mistress Grundy ; And I'll name his name when ye've dmed with me -and your heart won't break for one clay ! " —By the Author of " Chronicles of Kirkstall."