Page:History and comical transactions of Lothian Tom (7).pdf/22

 22 Comical Tranfactions of Lothian Tom. haps agree about it. Thus Tom went thro‘ ten of them in one day, and got twenty fhillings from each of them, and kept his fpeech againft the law, for whatever they offered him for his calf, he told them to re- member that was not to be the price of it, but give me twenty fhillings juft now, and fend out your lad to morrow morning, and per- haps we’ll agree, was all that paffed. So Tom came home with his ten pounds, and paid his rent; and early next morning, one of the butchers fent out his lad to Lothian Tom’s for the calf, and as he was about a mile out of town, he went to an ale-houfe- door, and there calls for a bicker of ale, and as he was drinking it, up comes ano- ther butcher’s lad on the fame errand, he being called by the firft to come and drink, which caufed another biker; then up comes other two on the fame errand, again fix more, which made out the ten, and every one told he was going to Lothian Tom’s for a calf, which made them think Tom had gathered together all the calves of the coun- try-fide: So they came to Tom’s houfe, and every one called for his calf, and his calf, and Tom had but one calf to ferve them all: which he took and fhowed them. Now, fays he, whoever gives moft for it fhall have it, or I’ll put it to a roup. What, faid they, our mailer bought it yefterday. Then, fays Tom, you would be fools to buy it to-day, for it is heavy to carry, and fafhious to lead,