Perthshire in bygone days

498 PEKTHSHERE IN BYGONE DAYS.
great town was represented by the toll-house, the hostelry
at the west end of the bridge, and a farm-steading. The
requiem of the miller's daughter is now often sung at the
spot where she lived and died.
On the banks of Allan water,
When the sweet spring time did fall,
Was the miller's lovely daughter,
Fairest of them all.
For his bride a soldier sought her,
And a winning tongue had he.
On the banks of Allan water,
None was gay as she.
On the banks of Allan water,
When brown autumn spread its store,
There I saw the miller's daughter,
But she smiled no more.
For the summer grief had brought her,
And the soldier false was he,
On the banks of Allan water,
None was sad as she.
On the banks of Allan water,
When the winter snow fell fast,
Still was seen the miller's daughter,
Chilling blew the blast !
But the miller's lovely daughter
Both from cold and care was free,
On the banks of Allan water,
There a corse lay she.
This tale of woman's faith and man's falsehood is a song
of the seasons. It began in the spring time of the year,
and when the early summer came in, none was gay as the
miller's daughter ; but before July had closed his fervid
beaming eye, she was courted, betrothed, and jilted. In
brown autumn she smiled no more ; and when " the fierce
north wind, with his airy forces," came bitterly down from
the top of Benvoirlich, and the little river was covered with
winter, she lay cold as the ice on its surface. In these
days of ours we hear a great deal of nonsense spouted
about " woman's rights," but sensible people think that
there is less occasion for extending those rights than there
is for curtailing those assumed by man.
A young friend of mine, who seemed to entertain no
doubt of the locality of our ballad, wrote me from London,
in 1853, making the following enquiries: — "What sort
of place is Bridge of Allan that so much is said and sung
about ? Is the mineral greatly esteemed ? is it near the
lakes ? and do people live longer there than elsewhere ? "