The Fall of Jock Gillespie

1 
This fell when dinner-time was done—
      ’Twixt the first an’ the second rub—
That oor mon Jock cam’ hame again
     To his rooms ahint the Club. 
2 
An’ syne he laughed, an’ syne he sang,
     An’ syne we thocht him fou,
An’ syne he trumped his partner’s trick,
      An’ garred his partner rue. 
3 
Then up and spake an elder mon,
     That held the Spade its Ace—
God save the lad! Whence comes the licht
     “That wimples on his face?” 
4 
An’ Jock he sniggered, an’ Jock he smiled,
      An’ ower the card-brim wunk:—
“I’m a’ too fresh fra’ the stirrup-peg,
      “May be that I am drunk.” 
5 
“There’s whusky brewed in Galashils
      “An’ L.L.L. forbye;
“But never liquor lit the lowe
      “That keeks fra’ oot your eye. 
6 
“There’s a thrid o’ hair on your dress-coat breast,
       “Aboon the heart a wee?”
“Oh! that is fra’ the lang-haired Skye
     “That slobbers ower me.” 
7 
“Oh! lang-haired Skyes are lovin’ beasts,
      “An’ terrier dogs are fair,
“But never yet was terrier born,
      “Wi’ ell-lang gowden hair! 
8 
“There’s a smirch o’ pouther on your breast,
      “Below the left lappel?”
“Oh! that is fra’ my auld cigar,
      “Whenas the stump-end fell.” 
9 
“Mon Jock, ye smoke the Trichi coarse,
      “For ye are short o’ cash,
“An’ best Havanas Couldna leave
       “Sae white an’ pure an ash. 
10 
“This nicht ye stopped a story braid,
       “An’ stopped it wi’ a curse.
“Last nicht ye told that tale yoursel’—
      “An’ capped it wi' a worse! 
11 
“Oh! we’re no fou! Oh! we’re no fou!
       “But plainly we can ken
“Ye’re fallin’, fallin’ fra the band
      “O’ cantie single men!” 
12 
An’ it fell when sirris-shaws were sere,
      An’ the nichts were lang and mirk,
In braw new breeks, wi’ a gowden ring,
     Or Jocke gaed to the Kirk!

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