Page:History of John Cheap the chapman (5).pdf/19

⟨ſaid⟩ ſhe? Indeed my feet is very cauld, ſaid I, whereat ⟨they⟩ all laught but but the goodwife, ſhe gloom'd until the reſt ⟨were⟩ done, and then took a laugh at it herſelf: So the goodman ordered all the Johnies Jamies and Jennies with their ⟨wheels⟩ to ſet about; then I was ſet beyond the fire, and ⟨preferred⟩ to ſteer their ſowens, but when they were ready ⟨and⟩ put up in diſhes, the goodwife order'd one of the lads ⟨to⟩ take a pair of old blankets, and two ſacks, and ſhew me where I was to lay in the barn; Ho, ho, thinks I, ⟨there's⟩ no ſupper for me, but I'll remember this, to ⟨pay⟩ her ſtock and annual. So I went to the barn and ⟨lay⟩ till next morning, about chapman's riſing time when the pottage was ready, and then gives the wife a fine ⟨cotton⟩ lace and a few pins, which pleaſed her ſo well, ⟨that⟩ ſhe went thro' the cogs and collected about a mutchkin of pottage for me, for which I thanked her. "A wat well lad, an ye be coming by ony time, ye's be welcome to a night of our barn, frae ye hae nae ſteal'd ⟨naething⟩;" thanks to you goodwife, ſaid I, that's very ⟨fair⟩: "Indeed lad 'tis no every ane we'll trust wi' our ⟨new⟩ barn, farfore ſud we?" O goodwife it would be a ⟨great⟩ thief that wad run away wi' a barn on his back, I wonder ye let it ſtand out all night: "Hute awa' ye ⟨daft⟩ body, how can we get it in, ge awa' chapman ye're ⟨joking⟩ me now." I then took a turn round the country ⟨for⟩ two weeks, and then came back to be avenged on the ⟨naughty⟩ wife and her ſowens: it being very dark or I ⟨came⟩ in, the goodwife did not know me, but made her ⟨ſpeech⟩ as follows: "Indeed ſays ſhe, ye's no be here; ⟨for⟩ there's ſo many thieves and robbers gawn thort the country, and our goodman's no at hame; art thou honeſt ⟨enough?⟩" I can want nothing of my honeſty goodwife; ⟨but⟩ did you ever ſee any people gawn thro' the country, ⟨telling⟩ they were thieves? "Nay, a wat well no, ſaid ⟨ſhe⟩." Then, ſaid I, I'm ſure I did not take away your ⟨barn⟩ on my back the laſt time I was here. 'Yea lad, ſaid ⟨ſhe⟩, are ye the chapman that cracked ſae well to our