Page:History and comical transactions of Lothian Tom (4).pdf/2

 THE

COMICAL TRANSACTIONS Ο F

LOTHIAN TOM.

PART I.

THIS Thomas black, vulgarly called Lothian tom, becauſe of that country, was born four miles from Edinburgh, his father, being a very wealthy farmer, gave him good education, which he was very aukward n receiving, being a very wild, croſs, miſchievous boy. When he was about ten years of age, he was almoſt killed by the ſtroke of a horſe's foot, which his father ad, who had a trick of kicking at every perſon that ame in behind him. But when Tom was get heal of he dreadful wound, whereof many thought he would ave died; to be even with the horſe, he gets a clog, or piece of tree which was full of wooden pins; ſuch a hing as the ſhoemakers uſe to ſoften their leather up- n; and with a rope he tied it to the couple bauk in the able, directly oppoſite to the horſe's tail, gets up on ne bank, and gives it a ſwing back, ſo that the pikes in he end of it, came with a full drive againſt the horſe's rſe, which made him to ſling, and the more he ſung ad ſtruck at it, it rebounded back again and ſtruck him ; le battle laſted with great fury for a long time, which as good diverſion for Tom, until his father, hearing me diſturbance in the ſtable, came in to know the mat- r, and was ſurpriſed when he ſaw the poor horſe tan- ng his own hide, with his legs all cut and bloody, cut the rope and the battle was ended, but the poor orfe would never kick at any that came behind him aſ- rwards, but always ran from it. It