Page:History and comical transactions of Lothian Tom (2).pdf/3

 THE

Life and comical Tranſactions of

LOTHIAN TOM.

THIS Thomas Black, vulgarly called Lothian Tom because of that country, was born four miles from Edinburgh his ether being a very, wealthy farmer, who gave him good education, which he was very aukward in receiving, being a very, wild miſchievous boy.

When he was about ten years of age, he was almoſt killed by the ſtroke of a horſe's font, which his father had; who had a trick of kicking at every perſon that came in behind him. But when Tom was got heal of that dreadful wound, whereof many thought he would have died, to be even with the horſe, he get's a clog or p of tree, which was full of wooden pins; a thing which the ſhoemakers uſed to tan their leather upon, and with a rope, he tied it to the couple balk in the ſtable, directly oppoſite to the horſe's tail, get upon the balk, and gives it a ſwing back, ſo that the pikes in the end of it came with a full drive against the horſes arſe, which made him to ſling, and the more he ſtruck and flung at it, it repsuaded back again and ſtruck him; the battle laſted with great fury for a long time, which was good diverſion for Tom, until his father haurin, ſome diſturbance in the ſtable, came in to know the maſter and was ſurpriſe when he for the poor horſe tanning his own hide, with his legs all out and bloody, with kicking againſt the pikes of the tanners ſtool; ſo he cut the rope and the battle was ended, but the poor horſe would never kick at any thing that came behind him afterwards, but always run from is.