John Cheap, the Chapman's Library. Vol. 1: Comic and Humorous: The Scottish Chap Literature of Last Century, ClassifiedGraham, Dougal
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John Cheap, the Chapman's Library. Vol. 1: Comic and Humorous: The Scottish Chap Literature of Last Century, Classified
Graham, Dougal
Chapbooks, Scottish; English literature -- 18th century; Graham, Dougal, 1724-1779; Popular literature -- Scotland
Nae sooner said than done. In he stappit her into a closet;
and, after shutting the door on her, he sat down upon a chair,
pretending to be asleep in a moment. The auld faither came bouncing
in, and seeing the fellow as sound as a tap, he ran forrit and gaed
him sich a shake, as if he wad hae shooken him a’ sundry, which
sune made him open his een as fast as he had steekit them. After
blackguarding the chield at no allowance, cursing him up hill and
down dale, and caaing him every name but a gentleman, he haddit his
staff ower his crown, and gripping him by the cuff o’ the neck,
askit him what he had made o’ his daughter. Never since I was born
did I ever see sich brazen-faced impudence! The rascal had the
brass to say at ance, that he hadna seen word or wittens o’ his
daughter for a month, though mair than a hundred folk sitting in
his company had seen him dauting her with his arm round her jimpy
waist, not five minutes before. As a man, as a father, as an elder
of our kirk, my corruption was raised, for I aye hated leeing, as
a puir cowardly sin, and an inbreak on the ten commandments: and
I fand my neebour Mr Glen, fidgetting on the seat as weel as me;
so I thocht, that whaever spoke first wad hae the best right to be
entitled to the reward; whereupon, just as he was in the act of
rising up, I took the word out of his mouth, saying, “Dinna believe
him, auld gentleman, dinna believe him, friend; he’s telling a
parcel of lees. Never saw her for a month! It’s no worth arguing,
or caaing witnesses; just open that press door, and ye’ll see
whether I’m speaking truth or no.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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