ReplyToAnAnnouncementByJ.RankineOnHisWritingToThePoet,

replytoanannouncementbyj.rankineonhiswritingtothepoet,

thatagirlinthatpartofthecountrywaswithachildtohim.

iamakeeperofthelaw

insomesma'points,altho'nota';

somepeopletellmeginifa',

aewayorither,

thebreakingofaepoint,tho'sma',

breaksa'thegither.

ihaebeeninfor'tanceortwice,

andwinnasayo'erfarforthrice;

yetnevermetwi'thatsurprise

thatbrokemyrest;

butnowarumour'sliketorise—

awhaup'si'thenest!