Broadside ballad entitled 'The Drunkard's Raggit Wean'

Transcription

The DRUNKARD'S

RAGGIT WEAN.

A wee bit raggit laddie gangs wan'rin' through the street.
Wadin through the snaw wi' his wee hackit feet,                        
Shiv'rin' i' the cald blast, greetin' wi' the pain,
Wha's the puir wee callin' ??he's a drunkard's raggit wean.
He stan's at ilka door, and he keeks wi' wistfu' e'e,
To see the crowd around the fire, a' laughin' loud wi' glee ;
But he daurna venture ben, though his heart be e'er so fain,
For he manna play wi' ither bairns, the drunkard's raggit wean.

Oh see the wee bit bairnie, his heart is unco sou,
The sleet is blawin' cald, and he's dreepit through and through ;
He's speering for his mither, and he wun'ers whaur she's gane,
But oh, his mither she forgets her puir wee raggit wean.
He kens nae faither's luve, and he kens nae mither's care,
To soothe his wee bit sorrows, and kame his tautit hair ;
To kiss him when he waukens, or smooth his bed at e'en,               
An' oh, he fears his fatther's face?the drunkard's raggit wean.

Oh pity the wee bit laddie, sae guileless and sae young,
The oath that lea's his faither's lips 'ill settle on his tongue ;
An' sinfu' words his mither speaks, his infant lips 'ill stain,
For oh, there's nane to guid the bairn, the drunkard's raggit wean.
Then surely we micht try an' turn that sinfu' mither's heart,
And try to get the faither to act a faither's part ;
And mak them lea'e the drunkard's cup, and never taste again,
And cherish wi' a parent's care, the puir we raggit wean.

Sold by JAMES LINDSAY, Printer and Wholesale Stationer,
&c., 9 King Street, off Trongate, Glasgow. Shops and Hawkers
suplied on Liberal Terms. Upwards of 5,000 sorts always on
hand; also, a great variety of Picture-Books, Song-Books,
Histories, &c.

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