Page:Wanton Tom, or, The merry history of Tom Stitch the tailor.pdf/20

20 This old woman doating on Lim, gave him any thing be desired: and Tom having her purſe as well as her perſon at command, asked her one day when he had been very familiar with her, to lend him fome money to ſet up; ſhe not having the power to deny him, let him have ſome.

He being ſet up, though in her houſe, made himſelf acquainted with all the maids he could, who thought themſelves never ſo happy as when they were in Tom's company, and brought him all the work they poſsibly could. Tom ſeeing them ſo loving and kind to him, tickled their fancies with pretty love ſtories; and one above the reſt, named pretty Betty, imagined Tom loved her, never having a ſweetheart before, therefore every day ſhe would carry him a leg of a gooſe or of a turkey, or ſome other of her choice dainties. Then ſeeing how kind and loving ſhe was, made her think he loved her, but reſolved never to marry her.

There were many other maids he pretended the like kindneſs for, which his old landlady perceiving, grew jealous of him. So one day, after Tom had been kissing one of the maids before her, ſhe