Page:Comical transactions of Lothian Tom (1).pdf/11



( 11 )                                  P A R T  III.

7. Tom being now turned to his own ſhifts, considers with himself how to raise a little more money; ſo he gets a long ſtring, as near as he could gueſs to be the length of his mother, and into Edinburgh he goes, to a wright who was acquainted with his father and mother: The wright asked him how he did? He anſwered him very ſoftly, he had loſt a good dutiful mother last night, and there's a measure for her coffin. Tom went out and ſtaid for some time, and then comes in again, and tells the wright he did not know what to do, for his father had ordered him to get money from ſuch a man whom he named, and he was that day gone out of town: the wright asked him how much he wanted? To which he answered, A guinea and a half might do, or thirty ſhillings at the least: So he gave him the guinea and the half: Then Tom gave him strict charges to be out on the morrow against eleven oʻclock with the coffin, and he should have his money altogether. Tom set out for the ale-house, with the money, and lived well while it laſted. Next morning the wright and his two lads went out with the coffin, and