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Mang Howes an Knowes
A Day's Dander Throwe Border Waeter - Gates
BY HAWICK:
ALLAN WATT & Son, Printers, Station Buildings.
Preface
Written and redrafted in 1914, this narrative in the Hawick verncular was typed originally for issue to a few friends . Its publication in this posthumous volume is a response to the suggestion that the work should be made available to a wider circle, and it is desired that its appearance in this form may serve also as a memorial of the author and his devotion to the vernacular speech of his native district.
Especially at this time, when there are indications of a Scottish renaissance, it seems fitting to issue the narrative to as many as possible of those who are interested in the preservation of the vernacular; for it is felt that the work will be appreciated as apure specimen of the rich vocabulary, terse phraseology and idiomatic as well as phonetic peculiarities of the Hawick speech.
In 1914, having for while contemplated its production as an illustration of the descriptive power of this speech, the author chose as a theme for his narrative the incidents and impressions of a ramble in his native Roxburghshire during the previous year, just about the time of his 22nd birthday.
Realizing to what degree the representation of the Scottish vernacular is marred by the tendency to Anglicize its spelling, the author preferred an orthography that would retain the genuine forms, and in this and in others of his writings he adhered to the true sound-values of many words to which the standard English spelling is so often erroneously applied.
The narrative as reproduced her is accompanied by a few introductory notes based on his "Braid Haaick" (MS on the Hawick vernacular), since to some extent these may serve to elucidate the author's text. Even had it been practicable in this volume to supplement the text with a glossary and a treatise on the subject of the Hawick speech, no adequate purpose could have been served thereby; for to the intended reeaders the little work need present no real difficulties, since the standard work on this vernacular-"The Roxburghshire Word-Book" (by George Watson),published by the Cambridge University Press in 1923-quotes freely from this narrative and may be consulted for explication.
J.D.S.
Manchester, 1925.
Introduction Notes
The values recognized in modern Scottish orthography apply generally to the vowels and consonants in the text ; but certain departures from the common usage are to be noted:
In the Hawick vernacular there is no appreciable difference between the vowel-sound in cauld (river-weir) and the vowel-sound in cald (cold). In the text this sound is indicated by aa, e.g. aa (all), faa (fall), etc.
The shorter a sound occurring in the pronunciation of the personal pronoun A (1), and of such words as wad (would), whan(when), etc., is indicated by the single letter, A or a.
In such words as deed (dead) and heed (head), there is a departure from the common Scottish spelling, ee being used instead of ei, so that ei may be restricted to the characteristic Teviotdale sound heard in mei (me), leike (like), etc., etc.
In the text the parts of the auxillary verb "to have" include heh, instead of hae, (have); hes (has); hed (had), etc.
The Hawick pronunciation is indicated also where gae (give), geh or gien (gave) and yeh (one) are introduced instead of the cornmon Scottish forms gie, gied and (y)ae.
The form -eet is employed for the ending of the preterite and past participle of weak verbs, e.g. lilteet (lilted), sterteet (started), etc., and the form -een for the suffixes (chiefly gerundial) of awanteen (wanting), biggeen (building), etc., where these endings are the common Scottish affixes, -it and -in.
Similarly, -ih,-fih, etc., are preferred to -ow, -fu', etc, in fallih(fellow), sheddish(shadow), taatih(potato), awfih(awfu', awful) and others.
In many nouns, including diminutives, and in adjectives, where the spelling is established, the ending -ie is preferred to -y ; e.g.. burnie, bonnie, etc.
The spelling ti is employed generally for the Scottish preposition tae (to), and is sounded as in "tip." For the adverb tae (too), the spelling tui is used, although the sound has a slight tendency towards "tay". The spelling tae is retained in the tae (the one), as the vowel-sound approaches closely to that in "tay" or "taste."
As the dropping of consonants at the ends of certain words and syllables is so general in Scottish, the author considered it often superfluous to indicate such omissions by the customary device of substituting the apostrophe or apostrophes. Therefore, in the narrative, an (and), i (in), o (of'), etc., are preferred to an', i', o', ete. Similarly, mang (among), harly(hardly), dwinglt (lingered or tarried), etc., are preferred to 'mang, har'ly, dwing'lt, etc. As an apostrophe is not inserted in modern English when a consonant is definitely dropped from or elided in a word, there seems no reason to regard it as a fixed rule in Scottish to mark all such omissions or elisions. Moreover, in Middle English such words were written without the apostrophe, thus affording historical precedents.
There is a frequent omission of the aspirate from the Hawick equivalents of he, his, him, her, etc., e.g.ei, eis, um, er, ete.
The other important features of the Hawick vocabulary include the alternative forms of those words which vary in certain cirumstances, such as: iz, mei (me) ; oo, wei (we) ; oo, huz,uz (us) ; ee, yow (you) ; eet, hit, it, 'd, 't (it); yeh, yin (a, one) ; aether, owther (either) ; ayoint, ayownt, yoint, yownt (beyond) ; be, bei (be) ; be, or (ere, etc.) ; be (by, in comparison with, etc.); bye (by, past) ; duist, juist (just) ; eenow, nih, now [(the) now] ; ferrer-, fether (farther) ; geh, gien (gave); gerss, gress (grass) ; let, luit (let) ; mae, mair (more); na! nehh ! no ! (nay!); nae (no); no (not) ; o, ov (of) ; than, then, thin (then); thonder, yonder (yonder); ti, till (to, towards); ud, wad (would); etc., etc.
The text includes also such spellings as: beguid (began); bit (but); hyimm (home); hyit (hate); meenint (minute) ; thae (those); thir (these) ; ther (their); thum (them); threh M (from) veeshysis (vicious); wui (with) etc., etc.
Consistent with the orthographic system adopted in the text, the spellings of proper nouns include:
Bosells (Boswells) ; Buinster (Benchester); Denum (Denholm); Eeldon (Eildon); Haaick (Hawick); Jethart Aibbey, Casle (Jedburgh Abbey, Castle); Kelsih (Kelso); Mintih Craigs, Hoose (Minto Crags, House) ; Peinelheuch Moniment (Penielheugh Monument); Teiot (Teviot); Waeter o Ruile (Rule Water); Yill Waeter (Ale Water), and others.
It should be borne in mind that in most words where the spelling is identical with that of standard English the Hawick pronunciation is only an approximation of the standard English sound.
The foregoing and the other phonetic principles affecting and explaining the text, together with the meanings of the rarer words and phrases, are fully dealt with in "The Roxburghshire Word-Book," which includes in its bibliographical list of authorities "Mang Howes an Knowes" and "Braid Haaick," by the author of this narrative. For the sounds peculiar to or characteristic of the Hawick vernacular, the reader of the narrative is directed particularly to Sects.
10, 12, 24B, C, 25, 27C, 28D, 29c, 34, 37, 60, 62-73 of the Introduction to "The Roxburghshire Word-Book."
Mang Howes an Knowes
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.