William Brockie was born in the parish of Smailholm, Roxburghshire. He entered on the world of letters by the publication of a small periodical, entitled The Galashiels Weekly Journal. He subsequently edited The Border Watch, a newspaper originated at Kelso on behalf of the Free Church. This concern proving unfortunate, he obtained, after a short residence at Prestonkirk, East Lothian, the editorship of the Shields Gazette. Compelled to relinquish editorial labour from impaired health, Mr Brockie has latterly established a private academy at South Shields, and has qualified himself to impart instruction in fourteen different languages. Besides a number of pamphlets on a variety of subjects, he has published a "History of South Shields," and a poem, entitled, "The Dusk and the Dawn."
YE 'LL NEVER GANG BACK TO YER MITHER NAE MAIR. What ails ye, my lassie, my dawtie, my ain?
I 've gien ye my word, and I 'll gie ye 't again.
There 's naething to fear ye—be lichtsome and cheerie;
I 'll never forsake ye, nor leave ye yer lane.
We 're sune to be married—I needna say mair;
Our love will be leal, though our livin' be bare;
In a house o' our ain we 'll be cantie and fain,
An' ye 'll never gang back to yer mither nae mair.
We needna be troubled ere trouble be sprung;
The warld 's afore us—we 're puir, but we 're young;
An' fate will be kind if we 're willint in mind—
Sae keep up yer heart, lass, and dinna be dung.
Folk a' hae their troubles, and we 'll get our share,
But we 'll warsle out through them, and scorn to despair;
Sae cheer up yer heart, for we never shall part,
An' ye 'll never gang back to yer mither nae mair.
While we live for each other, our lot will be blest;
An' though freens sud forget us, they 'll never be miss'd;
We 'll sit down at e'en by the ingle sae bien,
An' the cares o' the world 'ill a' be dismiss'd.
A couple that strive to be honest and fair
May be rich without siller, and guid without lear;
Be gentle and true, an' yese never need rue,
Nor sigh to win back to yer mither nae mair.
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