JOHNIE'S GRAY BREEKS.
391
from society, after the loss of his fortune, with his wife, who had
heen handsome, and their daughter, fifteen or sixteen years of
age ; and that, on a beautiful evening, sitting before their door,
the wife had sung the Scotch air So Merry as We have heen, in
so sweet and touching a way that he burst into tears ; and that
the recollection of this impression was still vivid, after more
than thirty years.'
JOHNIE'S GEAY BREEKS.
A homely song, entitled Johnie's Gray Breehs, has been long a
favourite in Scotland. Its air, one of the finest of the whole
series of our sentimental melodies, Mr Stenhouse believed to be
the composition of James Oswald. The best song extant to this
air, out of many, is the following :
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When I was in my se'n - teen year, I
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as baith blithe and bon-nie, O; The lads lo'ed me baitli
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far and near, But I lo'ed nane but John - ie, : He
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gain'd my heart in twa three weeks, He spake sae blithe and