Page:History of John Cheap, the chapman (8).pdf/18

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The History of

they'll do very well for a ſupper; I true ſae, lad, ſaid ſhe, ye hae ſome fense, ſo the old woman put on the pot with the ſowens, and went to milk her cows, leaving me to ſteer; the goodman her ſon, as ſoon as ſhe went out, took a great cog full of water and put it into the pot amongst the ſowens, and then went out of the houſe, and left me alone: I conſidering what ſort of a piſh-the-bed ſupper I was to get if I ſtaid there, thought fit to ſet out, but take up a pitcher with water, and fill's up the pot until it was running over, and then takes up my pack and comes about a mile farther that night, leaving the honest woman and her ſon, to ſup their watery witcht ſowens, at their leiſure.

I then turned toward the east, through a place called Slamannan, and was lodged one night near a place called Tod's Bughts, where there was a boul-horned goodwife, but a very civil goodman; when I went in, ſhe took up a diſh from the dog, wherein was a few he had left, and with a collection more from other cogs, ſhe offered them to me, which I refuſed;, 'm ſaid ſhe, ye're a lordly ſort of a chapman indeed; ſo I began to divert the goodman, by telling him a deal of fine ſtories to make him laugh but could not get near the fire; at laſt I ſaid, O goodwife, I'll tell you news, ay chapman, what's that, ſaid ſhe? indeed my feet's very cauld, ſaid I whereat they all laught but the goodwife, ſhe gloom'd until the reſt was done, and then took a laugh at herſelf: So the goodman ordered all the Johnnie Jamies, and Jennies with their wheels to ſit about then I was ſet beyond the fire, and preferred to ſteer their ſowens, but when they were ready and put it in diſhes, the goodwife ordered one of the lads to take a pair of blankets and two ſacks, and ſhew me where I was to lie in the barn: Ho, ho, thinks I, there's no supper for me, but I'll remember then