"Behave Yoursel' Before Folk 751 I wrought that morning out an' out, Her wily glance I'll ne'er forget, The dear, the lovely blinkin' o't Has pierced me through an' through the heart, I tried to sing, I tried to pray, I tried to drown 't wi' drinkin' o't, Nae man can tell what pains I prove, Than ever I was wi' whiskey, O! James Hogg (1770-1835] "BEHAVE YOURSEL' BEFORE FOLK" BEHAVE yoursel' before folk, Behave yoursel' before folk, And dinna be sae rude to me, It wadna gi'e me meikle pain, Gin we were seen and heard by nane, To tak' a kiss, or grant you ane; But guidsake! no before folk. Behave yoursel' before folk; Consider, lad, how folk will crack, It's no through hatred o' a kiss, When we're our lane ye may tak' ane, But fient a ane before folk. I'm sure wi' you I've been as free Ye tell me that my face is fair; Behave yoursel' before folk, Behave yoursel' before folk; Nor heat my cheeks wi' your mad freaks, But aye be douce before folk. Ye tell me that my lips are sweet, Rory O'More; or, Good Omens 753 To pree their sweets before folk. Behave yoursel' before folk, Behave yoursel' before folk; Gin that's the case, there's time, and place, But surely no before folk. But, gin you really do insist And when we're ane, baith flesh and bane, Alexander Rodger [1784-1846] RORY O'MORE; OR, GOOD OMENS YOUNG Rory O'More courted Kathleen bawn, "With your tricks I don't know, in troth, what I'm about, "Indeed, then," says Kathleen, "don't think of the like, For I half gave a promise to soothering Mike; The ground that I walk on he loves, I'll be bound.” Sure I drame ev'ry night that I'm hating you so!" So, jewel, keep draming that same till you die, “Arrah, Kathleen, my darlint, you've teased me enough, So soft and so white, without freckle or speck, And he looked in her eyes that were beaming with light, And he kissed her sweet lips;-don't you think he was right? "Now, Rory, leave off, sir; you'll hug me no more; That's eight times to-day that you've kissed me before." "Then here goes another," says he, "to make sure, For there's luck in odd numbers," says Rory O'More. Samuel Lover [1797-1868] ASK AND HAVE "OH, 'tis time I should talk to your mother, Sweet Mary," says I; "Oh, don't talk to my mother," says Mary, Beginning to cry: "For my mother says men are deceivers, And never, I know, will consent; She says girls in a hurry to marry, "Then, suppose I would talk to your father, Sweet Mary," says I; "Oh, don't talk to my father," says Mary, Beginning to cry: "For my father he loves me so dearly, He'll never consent I should go--- The Plaidie "Then how shall I get you, my jewel? "If your father and mother's so cruel, "Oh, never say die, dear," says Mary; Since my parents are both so contrary- 755 Samuel Lover [1797-1868] KITTY OF COLERAINE As beautiful Kitty one morning was tripping, With a pitcher of milk, from the fair of Coleraine, When she saw me she stumbled, the pitcher down tumbled, 66 And all the sweet buttermilk watered the plain. Oh! what shall I do now-'twas looking at you, now; I sat down beside her, and gently did chide her, 'Twas hay-making season-I can't tell the reason Charles Dawson Shanly [1811-1875] THE PLAIDIE UPON ane stormy Sunday, Coming adoon the lane, And the sweetest I maintain, Was Caddie, That I took un'neath my plaidie, 1 F To shield her from the rain. |