syne

For being an idle boy lang syne; Who read Anacreon and drank wine, I early found Anacreon rhymes Were almost passionate sometimes-- And by strange alchemy of brain His pleasures always turned to pain-- His naiveté to wild desire-- His wit to love-his wine to fire-- And so, being young and dipt in folly, I fell in love with melancholy,

Then we joined hands and sang "Auld Lang Syne." Sara Ray cried bitterly in lieu of singing.

She wore her hair now in an enormous pompador and had discarded the blue ribbon bows of auld lang syne, but her face was as freckled, her nose as snubbed, and her mouth and smiles as wide as ever.

Riach, with a dreadful voice, "ye should have interfered long syne. It's too late now."

Charlotta and I were at a wedding long syne. They expect to be at Echo Lodge next week.

Micawber's spirits becoming elevated, too, we sang 'Auld Lang Syne'.

I fear you are out at elbows; but we must see to that for auld lang syne, as once we sang at suppers.'

Half-past nine struck in the middle of the performance of "Auld Lang Syne," a most obstreperous proceeding, during which there was an immense amount of standing with one foot on the table, knocking mugs together and shaking hands, without which accompaniments it seems impossible for the youths of Britain to take part in that famous old song.

"And you needn't Mr Venus be your black bottle, For surely I'll be mine, And we'll take a glass with a slice of lemon in it to which you're partial, For auld lang syne."'

To contact Robbie, email yourlife@ajl.co.uk and mark your message FAO Robbie Shepherd Ay the Heilan Games still his a haud o me gyan back even tae afore I first held a mike tae ma moo mair nor fifty eer syne at the caa o secretary, Fred Green, tae hae a go as commentator at Meldrum Sports.

The evening concluded with a rousing rendition of the Burns favourite Auld Lang Syne.

But playing music just after midnight at the bells when people want to sing Auld Lang Syne? That's another matter.