Dear Mistress MacDougall, A’m writin dis nott,
Ta see if I can explain,
Dat I meant nae herm da picnic day,
Whin I said you wir gyaan wi da men.
You see Leezie ο da Toogs yaal’d ower ta me,
Dat hit wid a been a fine shance,
For you ta geng hame idda trap wi her,
For shö hed ta geng right by da Manse,
Weel, I kent you wir bidin ta clear up da haa,
Wi da men an da boys wirkin dere,
An at someen wid gie you a lift hame da rod,
Whin you tidied awa aa da gear.
Sae redder as shout at da pitch ο me voice,
In answerin Leezie again,
I telt peerie Hendry ta rin ower an say,
Dat you wir gyaan wi da men.
Very leekly dir someens at heard whaat he said,
Wi da crood at wis staandin dere,
An eekit bits on, sae da story wis spread,
Aboot Mistress MacDougall’s affair.
Bit niver you leet whaat fok spaek aboot,
For if dey hed sense dey wid keen,
At dir nane at wid geng wi da minister’s wife,
Laek mesel, I doot your day is been.
Bit if you sood slacken your stays, so ta spaek,
An geng oot some night for a spree,
I keen eence-an-ower-weel whaat hit can be laek,
An da hidmist ta spaek wid be me.
I might even come wi you if you löt me keen,
Jöst ta see whaat hit’s laek ower da fence;
Sae gödnight ta you eenoo, tak care ο yoursel,
Your very dear freend, Aggie Spence.
1980
peerie: little
eekit: added
eence-an-ower-weel: only too well
eenoo: at the moment