Page:History of John Cheap the chapman (3).pdf/13

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
John Cheap the Chapman
13

and then set out again, keeping my course westward. It being now night, I came to a farmer's house south from Dalkeith; the goodman being very civil, and desirous of news, I related the whole passages of the two days and nights by-past; whereat he was greatly diverted, and said, I was the first he hard of, that ever that man gave quarters to before, though he was an elder of the parish. So the goodman and I fell so thick, that he ordered me to be laid on a shakdown bed beyond the fire, where I lay more snug than among the swine. Now there was three women lying in a bed in the same apartment, and they not minding that I was there; first one of them rose and let her water go in below the chimney grate, where I had a perfect view of her bonny-thing, as the coal fire burnt so clearly all the night; then another rose and did she same; last of all got up the old matron, as she appear'd to be, like a second handed goodwife or a whirld o'er maiden, six times overturned, and as she let her dam go, she also with full force, when done, let a fart like a blast of a trumpet, which made the dust on the hearth stone to fly up like mist about her buttocks, whereat I was forced to laugh out, which made her to run for it, but to smother the laughter I stapt the blankets in my mouth, she went to bed and waken'd the other two, saying O dole! what will I tell you? yon chapman body has seen a our a--ses the night; shame fa him, said they, for we had nae mind he was there: I wat well, says one of them, I'se no rise till he be awa', but said the old woman, gin he has seen mine I cannot help it, it's just like other fouks, and fin't a hair I care. On the morning the old matron got up first and ordered up the house, then told one to rise now, for chapmen and every body was up; then she asked me if I had