Page:Fun upon fun, or, Leper the tailor (2).pdf/20

 away Leper, says Mess John, I hear a bad report of you; me sir, I am sure they were not my friends that told you that.-Indeed, I am informed you are a drunkard.-I a drunkard, you have not a soberer man in your parish; stop sir, I will tell you how I lead my life, in the morning I take a choppin of ale and a bit of bread, that I call my morning, for breakfast, I generally take a herring and a chopping of ale, for I cannot sup brose like my lads; the herring makes me dry, so at eleven hours I take a pint, and sometimes three choppins; at supper I take a bit of bread and cheese and a pint, and so go to bed. Mess John says, its extravagant sir, its excessive drinking, I allow you one half of it for a quarter of a year. Says Leper, I'll try it, sir, and come back and tell you. At the end of the quarter be draws out his account, and goes to Mess John, who was sitting with his elders in the Session-house, and says; sir I have a demand on you; on me, sir; yes, on you, sir; don't you remember you allowed me so much drink for a quarter of a year, and I want the money. Am I to pay your reckoning, sir. You allowed it, and you wont pay it I'll take you before the Provost. The elders advised him to pay it or he would be affronted; so Leper got the money. When he was at the door,