Mang Howes
an Knowes


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A Day's Dander throwe
Border Waeter - Gates.

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For aa that the sun, hoisin itsel i the lift owreheed, thraetent an
efter-heat that wad be fit ti muzz folk, the forenuin air was caller an
clear, an stoor was awanteen whan A tuik ti the lang road that rins doon
throwe Newtoon an bye the Dryburgh loaneen on ti Bosells Green. Everly,
the road was thrang wui droves o nowt-aa keinds, untellin-kye an tiups
an keilies an yowes, mixty- maxty, rowtin an mehhin an blehhin; doddies
an starks an queys an stots an gimmers an hoggies an grumphies an
guissies-wui nurrin teikes snackin an yowfin an boochin at ther cluits;
bit fient a steekin bull ti yoke on ov a body, for the bease war
mensefih, an ilka herd hed a bleithe word i the byegangeen. Still an on,
thir billies hed a sair hatter or they got the bruits weerd bye the
cairts an hurlbarrihs an yirrint-vans an thing, that every-wee-bittie
dunsht other i the strooshie. Faix, it was aa leike thon killeen-hoose
brae at Mainchester, thonder (div ee kenn'd?); bit no a biggeen keind
was there ti be seen, nor was there ony warden polis ti redd oot the
bizz wui skeely maig.
Now, at lang last, the hinmaist doonfaa o the 0road brings ee oot richt
at Bosells Green, an there the road pairts i twae. The maist feck o the
hooses cooer coothy on the tae hand i the yeh straigglin street o
Bosells, croonin the braeheeds hich abuin Tweed an forenent bieldy
Dryburgh; an on the tother hand- the richt-the road wunds aboot the
Green an makes up the brae.

A cood fain heh dwinglt, an daikert aboot in sleepery Bosells, bit A
fair durstna, or thance A micht never heh gotten off the bit aa day. Bit
afore A sterteet neice an cannie on the brae up atween the planteens, A
cruikeet ma hoach an clappeet masel doon a meenint on ov a toggle bank,
athort the Green, an luit ma een feast on the bonnie gerssy haugh- that
weel-sorteet an taen sic grand care o. For Bosells hes muckle mense o er
Green!
A beguid the climm as A meent ti end eet- "huillie, huillie, up the
brae" ! The leikes o yon's no ti be munteet at a teerin kip, an forbye,
it was harly the waather for stressin. An, whan A tuik the kaik, an
turnt keindih pechlt, A was rale glad ti caa cannie an keek backiewards
at the airt A'd comed. Fleis an midges an bummies war skiddlin an bizzin
aboot ma lugs in cluds, areddies-kittle craiters (mae ways as yin) an
fasheez ti middle wui, inti buit. A luit thir yins birr at, an fasht
thum nane, an they did iz nae skaith.
Ferrer on, the road turnt bieldeet o baith seides, wui derk fir
planteens that (on the skleff, strecht streetch at the heed o the brae)
aamaist pletteet ther
brainches abuinheed. A met twae awfih sairious-on chiels, rale leike as
ther seam was ti girn the bits o moppies skiltin aboot; an than a
chairkin road-injin, skreevin an skrauchin leike a skartin skeelie on a
skuil sklate. A duist hyit jairgin things, an that menseless road-injin
fair garrd mei girrl! The bummies sterteet ther kittleen an daffeen
again be A was weel oot o the skuggin wuds, an seine, at the kaim o the
hicht, A turnt roond for another keek ahint. An, whow! it was a sicht ti
be meindeet!
There, at the yeh hand, tooered the threeple Eeldons; there spaaldert,
in a weide, weel-wuddeet howe wui gressy haughlands an trei-cled glens,
Tweed's storied dale; an there, doon ablow, smuillin- in laeuch at the
brae-fit, little Bosells Beekeet i the sun. A was fair cairreet! A was
vext A'd naebody nerr iz ti speak ti, so ti geet vent A e'en blethert ti
masel! An a feelin-herteet yallih-yorleen, hippin alang the deike,
cockeet eis luggie an cheepeet-in rale kaif an innerly.
Let cleverality, mockreef folk that are unco smert, wui ther tale, an
ready ti hoonsh an take a len o hyimmalt claivers the leikis o meine,
dae a eer or twae's woark- ay ! yeh roond twalmont's, duist!- parrackeet
in ov a ceetie, mang reekin lums an chawkin smuists, where yin canna sei
bye yin's neb for skomfeeshin rowks an drowes, an than yibbleens they'd
think as muckle, an aa, o a cuintrie-seide where yin's sicht can spang
owre dizzens o meiles; where yin braiths God's air clear an no soddlt
wui suitty flichts; where, forbye, isteed o caimeecal-laden cluds, a
body can finnd the praicious scents o field an foggeege, flueesh an
flooer! A vast o folk dinna ken whan they're weel off
Yet, yince in a day, thir braes hed seen unco sichts. Thonder was the
moniment A jaloozed ti be the Lilliard's Edge Memorial, so that A was
stannin on bluiddy Ancrum Muir. Nae cannie daffin bull- reel splore that
fearfih fecht, whan the Dooglas an the Scott wrait off a wheen auld
scores an saw day-aboot wui the auld-enemy.
Threh the mids o thir verra busses wad stert the huirn oo read aboot in
oor bulks: ilk sheuch an heidie-hole i thir verra rigs was den for
fairce sodgers in fechtin-graith-Scots an Ingleesh in a fraineeshin,
fidgin mad-keen ti teer the harrigals oot o other; ilk lirk o thir
knowes wad heide the gear o war. Hei'd little need be hen-herteet that
hed ti beer the ramstam onfaa threh whan the slogan waekent the waller
an sterteet the fray i the gray-daylicht,-eendon throwe aa the grewsome
mowlie-; whan billies fell seide-be- seide till the brae-face was
traisselt an the gress ran reed wui bluid; whan naigs an troopers-the
deed- ruckle glutherin i-ther weizants-war cowpeet inti ilka seike,
heeds an thraws,-on till the derkeneen rowed its hap roond deed an
dei-in, an garrd the hyill yins devall an take a barley. Oor forebears
an ther Southron neebers coodna sit soft ava i thae days: they war
everly natterin an fechtin. An-sic veeshyis fechteen as it was, tui!
Folk are muckle ti mean that beide on aether seide o the Mairches atween
twae prood an towty countries 'at canna grei an are aye cuissen-oot. The
Borderers lang syne geh thersels an awfih leife o'd. Their's was nae
canty doon-sitteen!
Duist a hip-step-an-a-lowp, an A cam on o an- other kenspeckle
landmerk-Peinelheuch. This eez the saicant sic column, A've haar'tell;
for, yeh gowsty nicht (wui a wund fit ti blaw doors oot wundihs) a
turbleent woare as the ordnar dang doon the firsst Peinelheuch moniment
(the whulk, A unk, maun heh been buggen keinda jingle-jointeet, or maim
heh cowblt on ov a gey coaggly foond ; ony o the ways, it geh a steiter,
an yownt-owre it tirlt!) Bit Border folk are no that easy bett ; they
juist paat up a moniment fer better an brawer be what the auld yin was.
An now, aabody stravaigin the Borderland-gangers an reiders-sood ken
Peinelheuch.
A'd breesteet the brae now, an the road swaipeet doon afore iz. Ay! doon
ti ma caav-grund o Teviot- dale-an A lilteet a sang an whewed an
yuooted, leike as A'd gane wuth, an laap an flaang as yauld-as a
wuddie--boondin bleithely on wui ma' airms shuggiein lowce threh ma
oxters. A was abuin-the- woarlt! A was naether ti haud nor ti binnd! If
onybody hed eyed iz, hei'd heh thocht A was shuir ready for Bowden!!
Yeh thing ailed iz; A'd turnt awfih dry!
"Bring ben the loch!" yince quo "Jamie the Poyeter;" an faith A was
muckle o his meind eenow. A felt A cood heh drucken
waeter-(waeter-waeter, waal-waeter, sprigget-waeter, or waeter threh a
pownd!) -till ma lugs played crack! or till there, was nochts left o the
nerrest-hand loch bit paddihs, fishes stankin for braith, an glet. So,
raison or nane, A claam a fence o spakes an stuckeens, an jookeet doon
ti a wumplin burnie, where A cood sei sic a gliff as A gien the baggies
an preenheeds whan A shot ma dish inti the waeter. Weiceleik-e, A juist
tuik a toot-a sirple ti seind oot ma mooth, juist-an than back A speeld
ti the road again.
Bye the policies o Ancrum Hoose-fair cled o treis-A stoaggeet-on on the
shadeet seide, where juist the sunny blinks, keekin throwe atween the
leafs, spurtelt the road wui greimeens o licht. Doon ablow glinteet Yill
Waeter, trinnlin alang owre its staney chennel an trinklin ti its treist
wui Teiot. The fisslin leafs trimmelt an bevvert i the simmer breeze on
its banks, an the flicherin burdies daibbelt an dookeet; an A fair
ill-wulled thum o ther plowtereen an ther swattereen. A bittock fether
on, the road splet, an, ti the richt, spanged the Yill owre a brig
aseide a creeper-kivvert cottage wuin wui its gairdeen a perfect sotter
o bonnie flooers. An a wutchy-butterflei was makin the maist o its grand
bat, jikkerin aboot threh flooer ti flooer.
There, yoint the waeter, an fell croose an canty on the brae-face, lay
Ancrum!
Yeh bit sate on the kei-stane o the brig; yeh deek at the gurlin Yill;
an A hoyed strecht for the "clachan." A maun heh been woare ti waeter as
ti corn, a hantle, for A'll ouwn A was dry again, turnt, lang or this!
Bit A was yap now, tui; no a beite o meat hed a etten threh ma brekfist
ti the now, an A was vext A hedna socht a piece i ma pootch for ti
mootle i the road. So ee sei A thocht A micht fell twae dogs wui yeh
bane: sei Ancrum, an geet a chack o something ti serr as an off-pit, if
it was duist a gowpeenfih berries or a penny gray rowe, wui a slokener
owre an abuin. Hunger's a grand kitcheen; it was aa yin ti mei,
forgimmih-tih! A wasna saucy! No that A was hert-hungery nih, aether; or
thance A micht heh been gaun pookin "cheese-an-breed" off o the hedges
ti nattle at.

Aa vow yins thas's ooreet an oold wui this neeger-wheeper ov a woarlt,
an yirns ti sid-doon in ov a hyimmly bit away threh aa the strowe an the
catter- battereen-ee sood gang an stop at Ancrum! Ancrum -where
weel-putten-on Naiter's buskeet in er bonniest braws, where the caller
air ud seek roses back ti the chafts o the palliest peenge an wad
spruish an turn leify again the maist shilpeet an disjaskeet! Ay! thon's
the keind o bit! wui rowth o simmer sheine, an wui waalth o leaf an
flooer, an wui breezes threh the Border hills ti blaw away the ooder an
the speeder-wobs threh a body's herns-ti gar the reed bluid lowp, an pit
yin that's off eis bat suin on the way o mends again; ti gar yin that's
duist a peike at eis meat turn that ei can heck leike a pick-maw. Thon's
the keind o bit-steepeet i the lore o the bye-gane days; a bit that saw
weild toozy dae-eens lang or monie a massy jumpeet-up toon was buggen or
thocht o. Monie a creestin bit wui a guid ruice o itsel A ken that
coodna haud the cannle ti Ancrum for wurth!
A sud-doon on ov a furm oot-bye the road-end, yonder, duist for ti take
a richt look at yin o the bonniest an pleesantest bits 'at ever A've
clappeet een on o. Planteet aboot the Green i the mids, the treis gien
skug ti the Auld Cross-sair duifft an neiteet an nickeet wui Teime an
the waather . The bairns new oot o the skuil for leave, gaed lowpin an
rinnin aboot deike an gerss, -the wainches jumpin the tow, an the
callants daein kittles. A dandert aboot amang the auld byres an smiddie
ends an yetts; an than a gaed inti a bit an slokent ma drooth (oot ov a
tanker lippin- fowe-nane o eer eend-mizzer!) wui a lang waucht that
garrd iz sich. Neext A speerd if A cood geet ochts ti eat,-if there was
a mael o meat ti be bocht- skecht-gotten a len o (!)-mumpeet(!!).
Ehhbit NA!! Nehh!
A was telld that if A was for a richt denner A wad need ti trodge on ti
Jethart: that was a richt toon an big eneuch ti fother an fend for fremd
folk an gangerels. An A'd thocht A wad be aa the road i Ancrum! It serrd
naething for ti stert simmereen an wuntereen, for it's ill speakin
atween a fowe man an a fastin; bit A bocht an ett twae cookies an a
whank o cheese ti keep iz gaun till A wan ti Jethart. Than A wasteet nae
mair wund in Aarum, bit made tracks for the auld fechtin toon on Jed.
The heat wasna cannie as A cam ti the main road ayownt the Yill, again.
Aathings whufft an dovert bar the midges an mei, an thegither oo turnt
ti the richt for the Teiot an the coonty toon. At the fit o the brae a
flitteen was gaun on; twae-threi chiels war biggin f urniter an
plaeneesheen on ti laarries, an still another road-injin, wui the
inspeirin name: "Jethart's Here!", stuid nerrbye,-nidgin ti dae the
poween. Ancrum Brig, weel-kennd ti fisher-folk, is baith braid an
strang, an a gledge owre luit iz sei the bonnie Teviot, dooce an
purpose-leike (for aa it's new hoven wui Yill!) gleidin neth the pends.
Oot threh aboot the Brig-end hoose lampeet a muckle big, bang fallih,
braid-shoodert, rash an stuffy, that staapeet alang the Jethart road wui
a taatih- steppin streide. Game for ochts, A snuived steevely on aboot
therty yards ahint um. Whow! sic a bleezer as it was, wui no a whuff o
wund, an wui nae bield! The sweet was duist hailin off iz till A was
nerrhand swutten deed; ma serk was drackeet wui weet till it stack ti ma
verra back; an, dicht as A micht, dreeps rowld doon owre brow, haffets
an chowks, forbye. Ma collar lay roond ma craigie as wanrestfih as
branks an brecham roond a yaud. Birsselt an scowdert, leike a
bubbly-jock duine weel in ov an oven, A cood heh f und eet i ma hert ti
heh stoppeet an gane in for a dook, isteed, i the cuill, silver Teiot,
where it laippeet bye leafy- Monteviot. Bit the buirdly Borderer snodged
on a guid yin, an on A poalled ahint um at the same jock-trot !
Up-bye, as A paat on a bit aixtra brash, a grocer body gaun eis
yirrints, gien iz the weel-wurn hail: "It's a grand-day!" " Dead ay!"
says A, "bit, man, it's byordnar het for huz yins that's walkin!" A'll
aye meind the lauch ei leuch! Hei leuch till ei was away in a kink, an
fair soople; so that eis beiceecle steitert aneth um, an A thocht the
sowl wad take a dwam, an kilt owre,-banyels, creel, an aa thegither.
Dod, the snirtin body! Hei wad think A was fond,-braisslin on ao
stressin masel that gait in ony sicwaather. (Yibbles ei thocht it was
for a weejer). Hei cam tui, an rallied, tho, an away ei birrlt, still
buffin an smudgin inti eis sel.
A pairteet threh the leesh, swank-leike fallih ('at A'd been followin
eis lead) at the whusht road-end at Jedfit, for there ei tuik tae airt
for Kelsih. Threh the fitba-field ti the little wee station at the back
o beyond, no a leevin sowl-no a body keind-did A sei aa-the- gate doon
Jedseide, bar yeh haaflang chaap as black as Eppie Suittie (wui a face
aa coal-coom, an a perr o reed-ribbon een glintin leike slaes). Hei was
on ov a laarrie comin birrlin alang leike the bars o Ayr, -as hard as it
cood lick for Haaick. Yoint the road, an bye the station, A crosst Jed
Waeter, an suin ma shuin war clankin yince mair alang owre causa an
chennel.
It wad want a twae-threi meenints a twae i the efternuin whan A turnt
inti the High Street o Jethart, where there was an unordnar stur for the
teime o day. At the Mercat Place A maircht eend ti the "Gazette" Office,
an bocht a wheen picter-postcairds for ti send away up Ingland (they
gien iz yin intil't), an speerd anent the Haaick motor.
Now that's nate where A got a drop that reether taen iz ti the fair! I
the new, A was telld, the Hawick motor hed been stoppeet rinnin.
("Aha!", thinks A, "it'll no hev cood gar ends meet this bittie back,
nih, A'se warran!")
This was a fessener, an A was keinda stucken, for A'd lippent on that
wanchancy motor as the maist mensefih way o wunnin threh Jethart ti
Haaick. However, it was nae uice o turnin roozd, an, bairn- leike,
kickin up a wa at no canneen geet a hurl; bit, for aa that, A'd taen the
maggot inti ma heed, an A ettlt at finndin some machine ti serr ma ends.

Weel, A ranged the haaf o the toon, or A turnt staaed. An fient a trap,
boaggie, geeg, laarraie, caager's caairt or hurlie cood A airt oot or
hear tell-o gaun up Teiot. Sic a hatter! A was in a habble. Bit lod
sakes mei! It wasna leike as A was muitteet oot or onyways trasht ; an,
forbye, it was lang or nicht!
There was a snod bit leikely-leike eateen-hoose, nerr bye; so in A gaed
ti fill ma empy keite, for my certies! A was howe! A was owre lang for
taatihs, bit A made a faiasable mael oot o pie-soop(a pickle grand
thing, 'at war they!), caald flesh, picklt ingans, an nae skrimp o laif;
wui twae rake o curny-dumpleen owre-an-abuin,-seindin the whole o'd doon
wui a waucht owaeter. Nane o eer mim-mowed peikeen got that Jethart
toozy table threh mei; for A puisteet an lained masel weel. It was as
muckle as A cood dae no ti slorp! An whan A'd ti haud-sae, A wasna
boass, if the truith be telld, A was riftin-fowe!-an, forbye, there was
a gey little hote o muilleens left for Lazarus! Yow yins that's keinda
perjink menna be uggeet at iz for aa this-set ee up wui eer feiky
mollups an eer friggeen an falderals! Some folk heh sic a tredd wui
thersels,-primpin!
A faand the guid o that denner as suin as A'd gaen wui'd; an, wui ma
wame fowe, ma thochts redd thersels the better oot. A paid ma laween (it
was naething owre-the-maitter - A wasna saateet), an than A lifteet the
sneck an gaed oot again ti the Mercat Cross.
It was ti be Shankum's Naigie, thin,-ti Denum, onyway. Yince an A'd wun
there, A thocht, A micht mebbies cood geet a hurl the lenth o Hawick. An
A'd geet mair guid yeh way as the tother, atweel; for snodgin on, A wad
aye geet seen the better aboot iz, an geet taen the mair guid o the
Bonnie Borderland. It was a Day's Dander A wanteet, an no a raam-race
duist.
So ti the tuine o:
"Oo're aa gaun ti Denum!"
oot A suitt towrt the Auld Jail, thonder, an yokeet till't up the Casle-
gate. Whow! yon brae o the Caslegate o Jethart! Sic a byordnar grand bit
for a sledge- sky or a yoke-a- tuillie! By!! The gaird wad need ti bei
richt an skeely at the merreen, tho, A'm thinkin, for it wad be a gey
sair pliskie ti rin dunt up again' the braw moniment at the fit. It wad
take a vast o sow-same, a richt claat o creesh, ti cleester a cloor
gotten that gait! Ee meind what Jamie Tamson wrait aboot the
guitter-bluid callants o Haaick an "the battert gavel o the Auld Mid
Raw?"
What a different shapes, firrst an last, as Jethart Casle saw,where
Jethart Jail stands nowadays. The seams an ploys o grit-folk an
Royalties; ther splun- teens an ther mairryeens; ther shooteens an ther
buirryeens. Did the deed-raap soond throwe its gampy ends, A wunder, i
the nicht efter guid King Alisaunder's waddeen-foy, - whan the grewsome
gaisener ov a geizart, i the girnin Daita's Heed, coonjert wui its
moween an its skeeletin-maigs, aa the braw folk weegin an dancin?
Jethart Casle! A body wad need ti ken'd aff leike as Wattie Laidlaw
kennd eet, for ti tell owre, off-luif, aa its dambrod-cheekeet story.
Puir auld Wattie Laidlaw! It was waesome ti think that hei was awanteen
threh eis weet-1eikeet Aibbey doon i the howe. A think A sei um yet: a
patriarch-leike body,-heed bared, an airm hoised as ei hailed the
Muises; eis baird, wheite as the drieen snaw, flaffin the wund, as
(yince an ei',d been suitten on) hei laid on an ranted off yirrds o
Border rheime an lore,-that nae man was better aqcuaint wui. Never
huivvin ti ruize Jethart high; never devaaldin ti crack prood an massy
aboot its bonnie bits an its history: a geyan yibble poyeter an a leal
Border Scot ti buit, Walter Laidlaw maun be a sair miss ti the
Waeter-gate o Jed. Let this beide as a merk o the respeck o the wreiter
o this leibult ti yin that may the muils lie licht on; the auld ye-teime
keeper o Jethart Aibbey!
Thereckly, as a hechult up that teedisome brae, the muckle
Cairter-booksome an blewe-leike wui the ferness o'd-raise fer owre on ma
left. "Teedisome brae," quo A, eenow, bit for aa A stecht keinda, it was
rale neice, that sklimm, wui the efternuin sun daabin sheddihs oot owre
the knowes an fells. Guid- bethankeet, tui, nocht ailed ma cluits; A'd
hed naething woare as a lowce wheing aa the day,-a faut easy eneneh
putten richt. A was nae hippeet heipalt, hirplin on. A'd naether bumple,
brizz, bate, nor blusht-bit ti play the limm an gar iz humple or turn
lameter. Nor was A tewd or mauchless, bit limbber an lither.
Forbye, A was i the hert's hyimm, els! Strecht afore iz, an keekin bye
the shooder o' the Dunion, hoized the loor-brows o derk Ruberslaw. Be
this, it wasna fer ti heed o the brae-the hinmaist bit bairge ov a powe
bringin iz alang bye a boaggly, gloomin planteen, where the whussellin
wunt gaed soachin throwe. An oh! (whan yince A'd gotten ti the top o the
rig, an-forfeuchen a weilock-hed hoakkert doon on ti ma hunkers till A
gethart back ma braith)-glorious sicht!!
A was on yin o thae hichts-Lilliard's Edge hed been sic-an-so that verra
day-that the Borderland hes sic rowth o; yin o thae watch-knowe hichts,
clean abuin haugh an howe, that in days o auld gien wairneen ti a hyill
waeter-gate, bit that i thir days juist gae keeks inti a yarthly
pairideise. Jethart lay hidden on the yeh seide at the boddom o the lang
swaip that hed garrd mei pech; on the tother the road gaed brent doon
inti thick planteens abuin Bedrule an Denum.
A cood wale oot Rule Waeter's coorse feine,- merkeet wui raws on raws o
treis-where it jookeet doon threh the knowes away ayownt Buinster an
Hobkirk. An another ribbon,-verder-cled, rinnin eassla-wassla-telld the
coorse o bonnie Teviot, wumplin bye paster an pairk an bussy dean.
Fornent iz, athort the fer seide o Teiot's flooery vale, Mintih Craigs
(haappeet an rowed in their leafy maud) brent raise ther skerrs; an the
gray waas o Fatlips keekeet oot threh atween the treis that skuggeet
Barnhill's staney bed an hade Mintih Hoose threh sicht. Away yownt baith
Teiot an Yill, bit stannin oot clear as clear, the Eeldon threisome
pointeet the airt A'd comed: by seike an deike an waeter; bve burn an
brig an haa. Wastwards, it wasna ill ti ken threh whaiten bits Teiot hed
run: a pickle blewe reek threh the hoose-lums o Denum draiggelt in a
swutherin clud; an, ferrer up the waeter yet plain ti ma aiger lookeen,
hang another caal, leike a bruch roond a muin. Duist there lay auld
Hawick Amang the Hills; an oh! the sicht garrd the guitter-bluid gang
lowpin an puttin an stoondin throwe aa ma book.
Door an dochty, framin the view, war rankeet Naeter's Wardens o the
Mairches-The Cairter, Cat- cleuch Shin, Peel Fell, Penchrise Pen,
Skelfhill Pen, an the lave.
A wheen folk oot picnickin at a deike-fit on Dunionseide hed kinnelt a
lunt an war thrang poatchin aboot an maskin tei. A pewl o reek fuffelt
abuin the gleed, an swurlt an yilleet away in a pirlin braith o wund,
roond owre the shooder o the knowe, till it saanteet i the caller air.
Hicher up, nerr the croon o the hill, men war layin on an chaappin,
lootin doon an howkin threh a skerr, the teime a stane-nappin injin
gaed-on leike a tuim mill,-skrunshin- chaampin-
haanshin-nickerin-dirrlin-snokerin-an reesellin, -withoot lissance. Ti
the sooth, ayownt the sweire, stuide Black Law; an ahint hit, Ruberslaw
michty noal, wui plewed rigs an planteens-reed-land an greenery- dinkin
its merly-merkeet braes, an Peden's Poopit buinmaist. Dunion, wui its
muckle mell heed, is buirdly billie ti Ruberslaw, an there the perr
stand, shooder ti shooder, leike as they war glunshin an shuirrin doon
at aabodie that wad middle-thum. A hantle heh the twaesome seen sin the
beacons war kuittelt on ther heathery pows, an mosstrooper an reever
rade bye ti foray an fecht an reipin raid. Now, the "ern-horse" rins
roond ahint the Mintih Hills; the motor birls up the stoor on the
Jethart road; an the aeroplane gangs whurrin bye i the cluds abuin-
heed.
A hained that view an taen the guid o'd as lang's A durst an cood. It
wad heh been naething till iz ta heh bidden aa nicht ti sei'd owre
again, bonnier as ever, at the skrich o day! Bit "nae man can tether
tieme nor teide," an, sweerdrawn an laith tho A was, A'd ti turn away
for aa aa ma offpitteen an daidelleen, an stert on the doon-gangeen ti
the Waeter o Ruile.
Bit, Guidbethankeet, there's nocht ti hinder a body threh seekin away
wui um thochts o sic bonnie bits ti pit bye an huirrd in eis posie o
pleezant maimeries. An so it is that A heh thae thochts ti faa back on
gin Fortun takes a pick at iz an things gang geite; whan A turn dowie an
hum-jum, or take a demuirrd dwam, fair leike ti faa of the spake wui the
wuddles an the vexes o woark i the mids o a michty ceetie fer aa
sindert; whan A hatter on, maist deeved an daivert an donnert wui the
rummellin dunner o an eend-on bizz-a stramoosh unendeen-the skirls an
the dirls, the raameen an the raackeen an the cammelleen, the daads an
the dunts an the skraucheon an the skreeveen. An so it is atweenhands,
tui, whan A keek oot ov a slaistert woark-place wundih on ti bowkin lums
an platchin cloots an ruiffs an waas baith suitteet an ratcht on derk
wunter days, whan aathing's dinnellin an cruppen-thegither wui the
nurlin hackin clap o Jock Nipneb's nitherin neeve, or the daggy drowe
comes drifflin on an a smairggin rowk feiles ilka thing, or the
snaw-brui's strampeet inti a caald-broon platch, a chaamp that turns
foats an cuittlekins soappin-wat an lauchs at tacketty shuin; an I
simmer, whan the smuists are woarst an the pluiffin ter froes up atween
the causa-stanes, whan the bruizzin, frizzlin heat turns frush things
tewd an rizzert, an leify folk dawallt an waaf, whan wud turns geizant
an ern lowps abreed. Everly, whan A haiggle on alang streets chowky wui
cluds o shairny stoor an smuirrin reek or clairty wui lifty glaar an
creeshy glet threh fooel seier an brander; whan A'm owther geetin
jaappeet an splairggeat wui dirrt, or dunsht wui folk, whan A'm
seek-staaed o the wundy, aippeen an the putten-on mimpeen an the
preidfih bluistereen that a body often hes ti thole; whan A'm scunnert
ti deed wui speakin feine; whan ma lugs are staaed o throaply blethers
an ma paap-o-the-hass is yookin ti let oot some richt, guid, braid
Haaick:-A duist caa cannie a weilock,-steek ma een,-an gae ma meind
leave ti spang owre ti Lilliaird's Edge or the heed o the Dunion,- an,
losh sakes mei! the thochts that come seipin, seilin throwe an rowl owre
an owre amang ma herns are fit ti gar aa the trauchles an the fashes
gang leike the snaw off the deike in a thowe, an-een as the flaam o the
waather-gleam skails afore'd the clutds threh an owrecuissen lift-thae
thochts help iz ti cast ma dowth, thole-muiddy boot; they set a spunk ti
ma gleed o Hope till it comes ti leife again; they gar iz bang up
bleithe again an buckle tui in nettle-yirrnist!
A met a doiterin, duddy, auld hallanshaker as A laampeet doon that lang
brae; a shauchlin, husslin- shoodert skeiabult wui a toozy, taaty heed
that wad be richt an ruggy ti redd, an a baird sair needin a
redden-kaim, - wui stoory claes aa tairgets an spatches an
faizzent-ends, an skluiffin shuin wurn inti bauchels. Puir sowl! Hei
didna set the bonnie cuintrie-seide.
It hed been a stey climm up ti Dunion-heed, an it was an unco lang
doonfaa ti Rule-Waeter-seide, an aa. Bien an braw wui skuggin shaws an
bonnie busses, the road gaed wundin doon, till suin, aa that was left o
ma vie was the toppeen o Ruberslaw an the brows o the Mintih Hills. Whan
A'd joined the Haaick-ti- Jethart turnpeike, yeh loonge owre the brig an
a gledge doon inti the Rule as it ran rowlin ti link in wui Teiot, an -
A was luntin alang the skleff, towrt Denum.
Duist at the gangeen-in ti the village, alang the laeuch road thonder, a
muckle great, big hivvy, motor- laarrie-a perfeet killogie for reek-cam
snorkin an dunnerin bye, gaun Haaick airt. Sittin curmudd ahint, an
geetin a hurl for nochts, twae-threi bleithe- leike fallihs i glarry
moleskins smokeet their claey peipes, tho their chafts war ditherin an
beverrin leike as they war pairlt, wui the awfih deedelleen an joaggleen
o rampaajin laarrie. It was at ma tung-ruits ti cry on the hoattery
affair, for fear it was ma hinmaist chance o a cairrie ti Haaick; bit A
hedna muckle brow o'd, an A hickeet an tuik the rewe, for the rummelleen
o'd an the clairty, creeshy look o'd wad heh gien a body the scunners. A
canna meind now whae was ocht the naisty infiel, bit A meind o wunderin
its folk didna think black burnin shame o its ongangeen!! There's a guid
mids! Bit A daar- say there's a selly bit aboot uz aa,-they warna
finndin the skomfeesheen. So away A luit eet gang, i swurlin cluds o
stoor o its ain soopeen; An on A snodged ma leifih-lane, till the
riggens an ruiffs o Denum-theekeet yins an sklaitteet yins-cam in sicht;
an seine A gaed stairgin up the "Canniegate!"
A cleckeen o guidweives at a gairdeen-yett whuttert ti other whan they
eyed iz; an aamaist the whole road-end cam oot-ther-oot ti waal an glowr
at the unordnar munsie; the stoory stravaiger. Shuir eneuch, A wad look
a richt jeeg ti thum. Imagin iz: A reed, lowpin, broazy face leike a
bermy bannih, sweet-begrutten an bairkent wui dirrt; hair aa torfellt an
toozellt; collar raandeet, an waaffelt lang seine; rufflt claes, creest
an huggery-muggery; an shuin wheite o stoor, for aa ma dichteen an
daaddeen. Sic a brattie! Sic a sain! Bit A never goamed the folk, an A
never luit bat; aa that A heedeet was: Here A was at Denum,-the same
auld Denum as it was aye! A didna ken a grain o odds o'd for aa A hedna
seen't threh kens-whan. There was the Leyden Moniment: there the Frei
Kirk clock; an aa the weel- kennd howffs an hooses; a waaller o barefit
getts; a wumman wui a bairn cairryin i the shawl; an auld herd wul a
maud on, an a nibble in eis neeve; an a snowkin collie!

At yeh shop-door a motor stuid, an forrit A gaed ti finnd oot whae was
ocht eet. A bit beekin callant, eis chuffy chowks aa fairnytickles, an
eis airm up ti shade eis een, gleimed gleide against the sun's licht as
A cam up. A axt um if this was the Haaick motor, an whuther it was gaun
back ti Haaick that nicht or no.
"Ay!", says hei.
Off-luif, ei made twae wrang shots anent the teime if wad set oot (ei
said firrst that it was gaun ti Haaick at "haaf-past 'hrei!," an neext
ei said "haaf- past fowr!", whan A kennd feine naether the tain nor the
tother cood be the richt oor, for it was weel-on o haaf-past five,
els!): bit for aa ei threepeet, ei gaed yins-yirrint an fand oot the
richt teime for iz i the hinder-end, an A I gien um a thripny-bit. Sic a
nibble for um! The little bleckie was fair upmade whan A said: "Hyeh!"
Hei glaammed at eet leike a cock at a grozert, an waird eet afore ma
lookin een on o leemeenade or sic-another fussy drink, for A saw um,
thereckly, bebbin an taain oot ov a bottle, an whoam- mlin't ti geet the
verra grands, wui the weeks o eis mooth aa froe, an riftin gas till eis
een grat.
As for mei, A gaed an got masel cleaned an spruisht wui a grand swaibble
o waeter, a shed i ma hair, a lick o bleckneen on ma buits, an a skuff
doon wui a claes-brush,-an a hantle the better A fand masel, for a clean
thing's aye feel. Than A pandert up an doon a bittie, hed a bit crack
wui yin an another; an, whan the motor dreiver, trig in eis ticht
leggums, beguid o kirneen an caain eis injin, A planteet masel i the
machine, takin tent no ti crack ma cantel as A claam in.
Jimp hed a gotten sutten doon, afore wei war off-wui a yerk an a dunsh
an a stech an a "Parp!" -off leike billie-hoy on the lang rin "by
Teviot's flooery border." No that lang, aether,-it was nae teime
owregane or oo war birlin owre the Trow Burn leike five ell o wund; bye
auld Hornshole, -a picter o gray an green-wui a glisk o the Moniment;
bye Lindean an Weensland; raisin at yeh whup a steer an a stoor, an
gliffin auld folk an bairns, baith.
An so, efter a smert hurl, oo clattert inti Hawick High Street duist on
the chaap o six,-an ma lang Dander throwe the Bonnie Borderland, mang
Howes an Knowes, an alang the Waeter-gates,-cam ti an end i the hert o a
lichtsome strooshie, ti the droang o the Toon's clock an the bumm o the
jumboes; whan the mills war skailin an the mill-yins war toavin hyimm
efter ther simmer-efternuins yokeen.

