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

 20                        This old woman doating on him, gave him any thing he desired; and Tom having her purse as well as her person at com- mand, asked her one day, when he had been very familiar with her, to lend him some 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 com- pany, and brought him all the work they possibly could. Tom seeing them so lov- ing 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 car- ry him a leg of a goose of a turkey, or                      some other of her choice dainties. Tom 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 pre- tended 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