The comical stories of Thrummy Cap and the Ghaist (NLS104185773)/Scarcity of Asses

by John Burness

SCARCITY OF ASSES.

The Reverend Mr Thom of Govan, riding home from Paisley, on a particular occasion, came up with two gentlemen, heritors of his parish, who had lately been made justices of the peace. They, seeing him well mounted, as usual, were determined pass a joke on him, and accosted him thus :—

Well, Mr Thom, you are very unlike your master, for he was content to ride on an ass.’ ‘An ass,’ says Mr Thom, ‘there’s no sic a beast to be gotten now-a-days.’ ‘Ay, how’s that?’ said they, ‘Because,’ replied Mr Thom, ‘they now make them a’ justices of the peace.