Page:Comical history of Simple John and his twelve misfortunes (4).pdf/23

 to do good? "Oh!" said he, "Girzy, I'm a' brizzled atween the feet." "Are ye indeed?" quoth she, "then I wish ye had broken your neck, that I might a gotten anither, useless ae way, and useless mae ways, upo' my word, ye's no be here, gang whare ye like."

Now, as poor John was turned out o' doors next morning to go awa' hirpling on a staff; one came and told him his mother had died last night. Oh, hoch! said John, and is my mither clean dead! O an she wad but look down through the lift, and see how I'm guided this morning, I'm sure she wad send death for me too. I'm out o' a mither and out o' a wife, out o' my health and strength, and a' my warklooms. His mother-in-law came and pleaded for him. Haud your tongue, mither, said Girzy, if ye kent what ail'd him ye wad na speak about him, he's useless, no worth the keeping in a house, but to ca' him to die like an auld beast at a dyke-