Page:History and comical transactions of Lothian Tom (4).pdf/12

 he concluded it to be done by ſome inviſible ſpirit about that ſpot of ground; and ſo went home and raiſed a bad report on the devil, ſaying, he was turned a high- wayman, and had taken two calves from him. So Tom waſhing the white face of the ſtolen calf, his maſter ſent the butcher word to come and buy another calf which he accordingly did a few days after, and Tom fold him the ſame calf the third time; then told him the whole affair as it was acted, giving him his money again, ſo the butcher got but fun for his trouble.

PART V.

THERE was an old rich blind woman, who lived hard by, that had a young girl, her only daughter, and the fell deep in love with Tom, and Tom fell as deep in love with the money, but not with the maid, he old woman beſtowed a vaſt of preſents on Tom, and mounted him like a gentleman, but ſtill he put off the narriage, from time to time, and always wanted ſome- thing, which the old woman gave the money to purchaſe or him, until he had got about thirty pounds of her money, and then ſhe would delay the marriage no long- r; Tom went and took the old woman and girl aſide, nd made his apology as follows: Dear mother, ſaid e, I am very willing to wed with my dear Polly, for he appears as an angel in mine eyes, but I am ſorry, fery ſorry to acquaint you, that I am not a fit match or her; what child, fays the old woman, there's not a tter match in the world for my Polly. I did not think our country could afford ſuch a clever youth as what I ear of you to be, you ſhall neither want gold nor 61- er, not a good horſe to ride upon, and when I die you all have my all: O but ſays Tom, mother that's not le matter at all, the ſtop is this, when I was at home Scotland, I got a ſtroke with a horſe's foot on the ottom of my belly, which has quite diſabled me below, at I cannot perform a huſband's duty in bed. Then e old woman clapt her hands, and fell a crying, O! if