Page:History and comical transactions of Lothian Tom (3).pdf/6

 ( 6 ) knife whips poor Tom over his knee, and with great kicking and ſtruggling cuts the wall band of his brechees, through pudding and all, ſo that the blood gulled out and Tom cried murder, murder, und down he fell. The poor dominie went out of the door crying, and wringing his hands. Word flew about that Tom was licked by the dominie; which made the people come running from ſeveral parts of the country round about to ſee how it was, but ſearching for the wound, found pnone but the empty padding Tom came running home all be- ſmear'd with blood at the night whereof his father cry what's the matter Tum? To which be made no anſwer: ſearching him the trick was diſcovered, and poor Tom received ſevere sheſtiſement. Tom to be revenged on his father, roſe in the night time and broke the fauld und let out the cattle amongſt his father's corn, and goes to bed again, this he did unperceived. Next morning the neighbours obſerving the cattle lying amongſt the corn, came running and told his father how they had de- ſtroyed all his victual, for they had eat till they had like to burſt All this time Tom lay in his bad, and his father much vexed at his laziness told him that he ſhould never have the benefit of more ſchool- ing as his maſter had ſo many grievous complaints againſt him; at which Tom rejoiced within him- ſelf as he did not value learning, nor put it in bal- ance with his deſigned tricks; Tom then ſeampered away and meuting with an egg cadger coming to Ediburgh, deſired him to alight from his horſe and he would give him a drum at the Follow kirk, at which the poor man was glad, and went in with him; Tom called for two drams, and made the cadger drink hearty, in the more time Tom flips out and mounts the cadger's horſe and put a foot each ered, and made the eggs all caddle, and