AULD GRANNIE.

Southland Times, Issue 917, 16 March 1868, Page 3

AULD GRANNIE.

I. Auld Grannie, she sat in her big elbow chair, Wi' her clean orimpit mutch o'er her lang silvery hair ; An' birled at her wheel, or took her bit nap, While pussie lay purrin' her sang in her lap ; The weans when they Baw that her c'en she wad steek, Sac saftiy they'd creep, and in whispers wad speak; To wauken auld grannie wi 1 them was a sin, An' they held in the breath 0' their troublesome din. n. Auld grannie had warsled wi* poortith an' wae, Till her c'en were grown dim, an' her haffits were grey; Tho' sma' was her mailen, Bhe aye was oontent, An' thankfu' for a' a kind Providence sent j In a' her sair trials she never repined, In sunshine or shade she was meek an' resigned 5 For her trust was in One wha she kenned was her shield, r ■ Her guide in her bairnhood, her stay in her eild. in. Auld grannie, puir body, wi' specks on her nose, Wad open her Bible and read to her o'es, Wha left aff their damn, their tricks, and their glee, An' stude wi' their wee curly pows at her knee. Loshme! how they glowered when o' Joseph she read, Or how a' the folk thro' the desert were led ; O' Daniel, Elijah, or David the king, Wha the big giant slew wi' a stane an' a sling. IT. Auld grannie — when simmer smiles dwre the green braes, An' the wee lambies played i' the glad simmer daysWad bring out her stool when the gloamin cam' on An' the sun his last blink on our blythe cottage shone. . At the door she wad sit, aye, an' laugh at our glee, When like furies we danced round our auld rowan tree, Tho' whiles a big tear frae her dim een wad fa', When she thought on her young days, lang vanished awa.' V. Auld grannie, alake ! we will see her nae mair, Our fireside is dowie, and toom her arm clmir 5 Her e'e that aye glentit sac loesome an' fain May ne'er shed its licht on our young hearts again. Her voice we may miss in her sweet hymn o' praise, Or the sangs that she crooned about lang byegane days ; But auld grannie we'll think on till death close our e'e, " An' the wise words she leired as we stude by her knee.