Page:History and comical transactions of Lothian Tom (3).pdf/9

 ( 9 ) her coffin. Tom went out and ſtayed ſome time and then comes in again, tells the wright he did not know what to do, for his father bad ordered him to get money from ſuch a man which he named, and w that day gone out of the town; the wright aſked him how much he wanted to which he anſwered, o quines and a half might do, or thirty ſhillings at leaf; ſo he gave him the guinea and the hudt; then Tom gave his ſtrict large to be out the morning againſt eleven o'clock 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 lads goes out with the coffin, and they were going into the houſe, Tom's mother was ſtading at the door and asked the maſter how he did, and where he was going with the coffin ? he did not know well what to ſay, being ſo ſuppriſed to ſee her alive; but at laſt he told her that it was made deſignedly for her, and that her ſon had come in the day before and had got it guines and a half from him, which he ſaid was to way other necceſſaries for the funeral O the rogue, said she, he has played me that so the wright got his guines and a half, and ſo much for his trouble, and had to take buck his coffin with him again. Tom being now ſhort of money again, began to think how he would raiſe freſh ſupply : ſo he went to the port nman the ſhearers, and there hires about thirty of them, and a free to give them a whole weeks shearing at ten Pence day which was two pence higher then they had got that year. This made the poor carers think that he was as honeſt, gerous, genteel smaller, as ever they had unt, for he took them into an alelouſe and he gave them a hearty break it till they could eat no more. Now, says he, when there are ſo many of you to- gether, out of different Parts and unequainted with