Journeys Through Bookland Volume Vi Part 11

NOTE.--Concerning the history of this song it is stated on good authority that there did really live, in the seventeenth century, an Annie Laurie. She was a daughter of Sir Robert Laurie, first baronet of the Maxwelton family, and was celebrated for her beauty.

We should be glad to hear that Annie Laurie married the Mr. Douglas whose love for her inspired the writing of this poem, but records show that she became the wife of another man.

Only the first two verses were composed by Douglas; the last was added by an unknown author.

Maxwelton braes are bonnie Where early fa's the dew, And it's there that Annie Laurie Gie'd me her promise true,-- Gie'd me her promise true, Which ne'er forgot will be; And for bonnie Annie Laurie I'd lay me doune and dee.

Her brow is like the snaw drift; Her throat is like the swan; Her face it is the fairest That e'er the sun shone on,-- That e'er the sun shone on; And dark blue is her ee; And for bonnie Annie Laurie I'd lay me doune and dee.

Like dew on the gowan lying Is the fa' o' her fairy feet; And like winds in summer sighing, Her voice is low and sweet,-- Her voice is low and sweet; And she's a' the world to me; And for bonnie Annie Laurie I'd lay me doune and dee.

THE BLIND La.s.sIE

_By_ T. C. LATTO

O hark to the strain that sae[120-1] sweetly is ringin', And echoing clearly o'er lake and o'er lea,[120-2]

Like some fairy bird in the wilderness singin'; It thrills to my heart, yet nae[120-3] minstrel I see.

Round yonder rock knittin', a dear child is sittin', Sae toilin' her pitifu' pittance[120-4] is won, Hersel' tho' we see nae,[120-5] 'tis mitherless[120-6] Jeanie-- The bonnie[120-7] blind la.s.sie that sits i' the sun.

Five years syne come autumn[120-8] she cam'[120-9] wi' her mither, A sodger's[120-10] puir[120-11] widow, sair[120-12] wasted an'

gane;[120-13]

As brown fell the leaves, sae wi' them did she wither, And left the sweet child on the wide world her lane.[121-14]

She left Jeanie weepin', in His holy keepin'

Wha[121-15] shelters the lamb frae[121-16] the cauld[121-17] wintry win'; We had little siller,[121-18] yet a' were good till her, The bonnie blind la.s.sie that sits i' the sun.

An' blythe now an' cheerfu', frae mornin' to e'enin She sits thro' the simmer, an' gladdens ilk[121-19] ear, Baith[121-20] auld and young daut[121-21] her, sae gentle and winnin'; To a' the folks round the wee la.s.sie is dear.

Braw[121-22] leddies[121-23] caress her, wi' bounties would press her; The modest bit[121-24] darlin' their notice would shun; For though she has naething, proud-hearted this wee thing, The bonnie blind la.s.sie that sits i' the sun.

FOOTNOTES:

[120-1] _Sae_ is the Scotch word for _so_.

[120-2] A lea is a gra.s.sy field or meadow.

[120-3] _Nae_ means _no_.

[120-4] _Pittance_ means _small earnings_.

[120-5] _Nae_ is _not_.

[120-6] _Mither_ is the Scotch form of _mother_.

[120-7] _Bonnie_ means _pretty_.

[120-8] _Since come autumn_; that is, it will be nine years next autumn.

[120-9] _Cam'_ is a contraction of _came_.

[120-10] _Sodger's_ is _soldier's_.

[120-11] _Puir_ is the Scotch spelling of _poor_.

[120-12] _Sair_ is _sore_, that is, _sadly_.

[120-13] _Gane_ means _gone_.

[121-14] _Her lane_ means _by herself_.

[121-15] _Wha_ is Scotch for _who_.

[121-16] _Frae_ means _from_.

[121-17] _Cauld_ is the Scotch form of _cold_.

[121-18] _Siller_ means _silver money_, or simply _money_.

[121-19] _Ilk_ means _every_.

[121-20] _Baith_ is Scotch for _both_.

[121-21] _Daut_ means _pet_.

[121-22] _Braw_ means _fine_, or _gay_.

[121-23] _Leddies_ is the Scotch form of _ladies_.

[121-24] _Bit_ means _little_.

BOYHOOD

_By_ WAs.h.i.+NGTON ALLSTON

Ah, then how sweetly closed those crowded days!

The minutes parting one by one like rays, That fade upon a summer's eve.

But O, what charm or magic numbers Can give me back the gentle slumbers Those weary, happy days did leave?

When by my bed I saw my mother kneel, And with her blessing took her nightly kiss; Whatever Time destroys, he cannot this;-- E'en now that nameless kiss I feel.