Page:History of John Cheap, the Chapman (7).pdf/14

14 then set out again, keeping my course westward. It being now night, I eamecame [sic] to a farmer's house south from Dalkeith; the goodman being very civil, and desirous of news, I related the whole passages of the two days and nights by-past, whereat he was greatly diverted, and said, I was the first he heard of, that ever that man gave quarters to before, though he was an elder in the parish. So the goodman and I fell so thiekthick [sic], that he ordered me to be laid on a shake down bed by the fire, where I lay more snug than among the swine. Now there were three women lying in a bed in the same apartment, and they not minding that I was there, first one of them rose and let her water go below the ehimneychimney [sic]-grate, where I had a perfect view of her bonny thing, as the coal burnt so elearlyclearly [sic] all the night; and then another rose and did the same; last of all got up the old matron, as she appeared to be, like a second handed goodwife, or a whirled o'er maiden, six times overturned, and as she let her dam go, she also with full force, when done, let go a f-t like the blast of a trumpet, whiehwhich [sic] made the ashes on the hearth stone to fly up like dust about her buttocks, whereat I was forced to laugh out, whiehwhich [sic] made her to run for it, but to smother the laughter I stapt the blankets in my mouth; she went to bed and wakened the other two, saying, O dole! what will I tell you? yon chapman body has seen a' our a—ses the night! shame fa' him, said they, for we had nae mind he was there; I wat weel says one of them, I'se no rise till he be awa', but said the old woman, gin he has seen mine, I canna help it, it's just like other fouk's, an' fin't a hair I care. On the morning the old matron got up first, and ordered up the house, then told me to