Page:History of the Haverel wives, or, The folly of witless women displayed (1).pdf/24

24 mither, that’s naeway cankard to the cats, nor kicks the colly-dogs amang her feet, that wad let a’ brute beaſts live, but rats, mice, lice, flaes, neets and bugs, that bites the wee bairns in their cradles, that carefully comb the young things’ heads, waſhes their faces and claps their cheeks, ſnites the ſnotter frae their nose as they were a’ her ain, that’s the laſs that will mak a good wife; for them that dauts the young bairns, will ay be kind to auld fouk an they had them.

And ony hale-hearted halſome hiſſie, that wants to halter a good huſband, never tak a widow’s ae ſon, for a’ the wifely gates in the  warld will be in him, for want of a father to teach him manly actions; neither tak a ſour looking fumf wi’ a muckle mouth, and a wide guts, who will eat like a horſe and foſs like a ſow, ſuffer none to ſup but himſel, eat your meat and the bairns’ baith; when hungry angry, when fu’ full of pride, ten ſacks wid not haud his ſauce, tho’ a pea-ſhap wad haud his filler: But go, tak your chance, and if cheated, channer not on me, for faſhionable fouk flee to faſhionable things, for luſt is brutiſh blind, and fond love as blearey’d. I add no more, ſays Janet; ſo be it, ſaid Humphray the Clerk.