RAB AND HIS FRIENDS.

“Where’s Rab?” He, getting confused
and red, and intermeddling with his hair,
said, “Deed, sir, Rab’s deid.” “Dead!
what did he die of ?” “ Weel, sir,” said
he, getting redder, “ he didna exactly dee;
he was killed. I had to brain him wi’ a
rack-pin ; there was nae doin’ wi’ him.
He lay in the treviss wi’ the mear, and
wadna come oot. I tempit him wi’ kail
and meat, but he wad tak naething, and
keepit me frae feedin’ the beast; and he
was aye gur gurrin’ and grup gruppin’ me
by the legs. I was laith to make awa wi’
the auld dowg, his like wasna atween this
and Thornhill ; but, ’deed, sir, I could do
naething elise.” I believed him. Fit end
for Rab, quick and complete. His teeth
and his friends gone, why should he keep
the peace and be civil ?

He was buried in the braeface, near the
burn, the children of the village, his com-

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