Jenny's bawbee. To which are added, The Caledonian Laddie. The Tippling Old Cobbler./Jenny's Bawbee

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Jenny's Bawbee.

I MET four chaps yon birks amang,
Wi' hanging lugs and faces lang,
I speer'd at nei'bour Bauldy Strang
What are they these we see?
Quoth he, "Ilk cream fac'd pauky cheil,
"Thinks himself cunning as the deil,
'And here they come awa' to steal
Jenny's Bawbee."

The first, a Captain to this trade,
Wi' ill-lined scull, and back weel clad,
March'd round the barn and by the shed,
And papped on his knee;
Quoth he, "my goddess, nympha, and queen,
"Your beauty's dazzl'd baith my een;"
But deil a beauty he had seen,
But Jenny's Bawbee.

A Norlan' Laird neist trotted up,
Wi bassen'd nag and siller whip,
Cry'd, ' here's my beast, lad had the grup,
"Or tiw him to a tree:
'What’s goud to me, I’ve wealthh o’ lan’
‘ Bestow on ane o' worth your han’
He thought to pay what he was awn,
Wi Jenny’s Bawbee.

A Lawyer neist wi’ blatherin gab,
Wi’ speeches wove like ony web;
In ilk anes corn he took a dab,
And a’ for a fee;
Accounts he owed through a’ the town,
And tradesmen’s tongues nae mair could drown;
But now he thought to clout his gown,
Wi’ Jenny’s Bawbee.

Quite spruce, just frae the washing tubs,
A fool came neist, but life has rubs,
Foul were the roads, and fu' the dubs,
And fair besmear’d was he;
He danc’d up squinting thro’ a glass,
And grinn’d, ‘ I faith a bonny lass;"
He thought to win wi’ front o’ brass.
Jenny’s Bawbee.

She bade the Laird gae kaim his wig,
The Soldier not to strut sae big,
The Lawyer not to be a prig,
The fool he cry’d : “tee-hee.
"I ken’d that I could never fail;’
But she prinn’d the dish-clout to his tail,
And cool’d him wi’ a water-pail.
And kept her Bawbee.

Then Johnny cam’ a lad o' sense,
Altho’ he had na mony pence,
He took young Jenny to the spence,
Wi’ her to crack a wee;
Now, Johnny was a clever chiel,
And here his suit he press’d sae weel
That Jenny's, heart grew fast as jeel
And she birl’d her Bawbee.

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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