7
my side, or kiss my lips, after thee, my ain
dear lamb Johnny. Then he acts the dead
man as well as he possibly could, the neigh-
bours were called in, and he’s fairly o’erseen,
as the old saying is, before good neigh-
bours. The sorrowful widow made sad
lament, wrung her hands and tore her hair.
-—The reverend women about began to dress
the corpse, asked her for a shirt. Ay, ay,
said she, he has twa new linen sarks, and
there is an auld ane in the bottom o’ the
kist, that nae body can wear, ony things
good enough for the grave; well, said
they, we must have some linen for a wind-
ing sheet, a weel, quo’ she, I ha’e twa cut
o’ linen i’ the kist neuk, but there’s a pare
o’ auld linen sheets, hol’d i’ the middle,
may do well enough, I had need to be care-
fu’, I’m a poor widow the day, wi’ three sma’
bairns.
Well, the corpse is dressed, and laid on
the tap of the big chest, while neighbours
sat by her condoling her misfortune, and
how the funeral raisins were to be provided,
said one the coffin must need be seen about
first. Ay ay, he has some new deals in the
barn, he bought them to make a bed o’,
but we’ll no break them, there’s the auld
barn door, and the caff kist will do well
enough, ony thing’s gude enough to gang
to the grave wi’; but O quo’ she send for
