Reply To An Announcement By J. Rankine On His Writing To The Poet, Robert Burns

That A Girl In That Part Of The Country Was With A Child To Him

I am a keeper of the law
In some sma' points, altho' not a';
Some people tell me gin I fa',
Ae way or ither,
The breaking of ae point, tho' sma',
Breaks a' thegither.

I hae been in for't ance or twice,
And winna say o'er far for thrice;
Yet never met wi' that surprise
That broke my rest;
But now a rumour's like to rise—
A whaup's i' the nest!