Page:History of John Cheap, the chapman (8).pdf/6

houſes in it: I went twice through it, but none of them would give me the credit to ſtand all night among their horſes, or yet to lie in their cow's ouxter: At laſt I prevailed with a wife, if her huſband was willing, to let me ſtay, ſhe would, and ſent me to the barn to aſk him, and I meeting him at the barn door carrying in ſtrae for his horſes; I told him his wife had granted to let me ſtay, if he was not againſt it, to which he anſwered, "if I ſhould lie in his midden dib, I ſhould get no quarters from him that night; a wheen lazy idle villains rins a' to be chapmen, comes through the country faſhing fouks, aye ſeeking quarters, the next day ye'll be gaun wi' a powdered perriwig, and a watch at your arſe, and winna let fowk ſtand before your chapdoors, ye'll be ſae ſaucy." I hearing thus my ſentence from the goodman, expected no relief but to lie without, yet I perceived when he came out of the barn, he only drew to the door behind him. So when he was gone, I ſlips into the barn and by the help of one of the kipples, climbs up the mou, and there dives down among the ſheaves, and happed myſelf all over, ſo that I lay as warm as the goodman himſelf. But in the morning, long before day, two fellows came into the barn and fell a-threſhing, that by their diſturbance I could ſleep no more: at laſt I got up with all my hair hanging over my face and when he that ſtood on the oppoſite ſide perceived me, I made my eyes to roll, and wrayed my face in a frightful manner, ſo that the poor fellow ſupposed be had ſeen the d---l. or ſomething as ill, gave a roar as if he had been ſticked, and out at the door he runs; the other following after him, crying, Wa' Johnny man, what did you ſee? O! Sandy. Sandy, the deil's on the top o' the mou,' ſheavling his mouth at me; I'll not be ſo well this month man, my heart's out o' its hole, vow but yon be a