Page:Wonderful exploits of wise Willie & witty Eppie, the ale wife.pdf/9

( 9 ) it herſelf, an on ſhe goes. and then comes the ſtage-doctor and cries aloud, Sir doc- or, Sir doctor, here is a bottle of my fa- her's wall, he has a fair guts, and needsna rite ony, but ſpues a' he eats; it's true I tell you my dow. The doctor looking at it, ſaid, 's not your father's ſurely it's your mother's. De'il's i'tha man, ſaid ſhe, divna I ken my ather frae my mither? Then, ſaid the doctor, e is with child. De'il's i'tha mar, co' the, or my mither bare a' de bairns before, dat's o true Sir, figs ye're a great liar. Home ſhe omes, and tell'd willie her father, that the octor ſaid he was wi' bairn. O waes me, co' Willie, for I hae a muckle wame, an' I fear it's er true. O plague on you Janet, for ye're he father o't, an I'm ſure to die in bearing o't. Then witty Eppie was ſent for, as ſhe was houdie; and ſhe ſand a' willie's wame, to be ſure about it. Indeed, co' Eppis, ye're e firſt man e'er I ſaw wi' bairn before how ye'll bear it, I dinna ken; ye hae wally wame, well I wat; but how men bear airns I dinna kent: but I would drink ſa't ater, and drown it in my guts, for if men t ance the gate o bearing weans them- lves, they'll ſeek nae mair wives. So willie ank ſea-water till his guts was like to rive, nd out he goes to eaſe himſelf among the kail, nd with the terrible hurl of farting, up ſtarts maukin behind him, who thought it was ot. Willie ſeeing her jump o'er the dike, hought it was a child brought forth, and