Page:History of John Cheap the chapman (2).pdf/24

 sheers, said he, and give me them cheap. So I sold him a pair of P sheers for three halfpence, and gave him a needle, then parted good friends after the battle was over.

So I went to Linlithgow that night, where I met with Drouthy Tom my sweet and dear companion, and here we held a most terrible encounter with the tippeny for two nights and a day; and then we set out for Fife, on the hair order, by the way of Toryburn and Culross, and coming up to a parcel of women, washing by a water-side, I buys one of their hairs; the time I was cutting it off, Tom fell a courting and kissing a girl among them who was of the haverel sort. What happened I know not, but she cried out, ye misleard filthy fallow, ye put your hand atween my feet, mair need anither thing sud be there. An ill chance on your picture, cried an old wife, for mony a ane has tane me by there in daffing, and I neer said a word about it, a wheen daft jades, canna ye haud your tongues whan it’s to your shame ye speak. Gae awa', cried the lass, he filthy body as he is, the last chapman that kiss'd me had a horse-pack, but he'll hae naething in his but a wisp o' strae, some auld breeks, hair-skins, mauken-skins, ony thing that fills the bag and bear bouk, and yet he would kiss and handle me, hech I was made for a better fallow; ane of them came by ae day, and sell'd our Meg twa ell and a quarter o' linen to be her bridal sark, for he had nae mair, and when she made it, and pat it on, it wadna hide her hech, hech, he.

FINIS.