Thieving Scoundrels

After the battle of Preston, two Highlanders returning through Midlothian, entered the farmhouse of Swanston, where they found no one at home but an old woman. They immediately began to search the house, and finding a web of homespun cloth, made no scruple about unrolling it, and cutting off as much as they thought would make a coat for each of them. The old woman raged at them in vain, and at last warned them of what they were laying up for themselves.

“You thieving scoundrels,” she cried, “you will have to account for this yet.”

“And when will we account for it? “ asked one of the Highlanders.

“At the last day, you villains,” she cried.

“The last day, woman !” replied the man, “That’s a long time of credit. I was only going to take a coat; but faith, if the credit’s so long, I’ll take a waistcoat too.”

Which he then did.

Return To Highland Humor