Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Illustrated book of Scottish songs from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century

94 SONGS OF THE AiTECTIONS.
Sae wistfully she gazed on me,
And lovelier was than ever
Quo' she, " A sodger auce I lo'ed,
Forget him shall I never :
Our humble cot and hamely fare
Ye freely shall partake it ;
That gallant badge, the dear cockade,
Ye're welcome for the sake o't !"
She gazed — she redden'd like a rose,*
Syne pale like ony lily ;
She sank within my arms, and cried,
"^ Art thou my ain dear Willie ?"
" By Him who made yon sun and sky,
By whom true love's regarded,
I am the man ; and thus may still
True lovers be rewarded.
The wars are o'er, and I'm come hame,
And find thee still true-hearted ;
Though poor in gear, we're rich in love,
And mair we'se ne'er be parted."
Quo' she, " My grandsire left me gowd,
A mailin plenish'd fairly ;
And come, my faithful sodger lad,
Thou'rt -welcome to it dearly !"
For gold the merchant ploughs the main.
The farmer ploughs the manor ;
But glory is the sodger's prize,
The sodger's wealth is honour.
The brave poor sodger ne'er despise,
Nor count him as a stranger 5
Remember he's his country's stay
In day and hour of danger.
* Mr. Thomson having written to Burns that he should get Mr. (afterwards Sir
William) Allan to paint him a picture from this song, the poet wrote to him : " As
to the point of time for the expression in your proposed print of my ' Sodger's Return,'
it must certainly be at ' She gazed, she redden'd like a rose.' The interesting dubiety
and suspense taking possession of her countenance, and the gushing fondness, with
a mixture of roguish playfulness in his, strike me as things of which a master will
make a great deal."