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retired to his dining-room, greatly perplexed at
Thomas’s proceedings.
He instantly wrote a letter to a gentleman who
lived near six miles from his house, and ordered
that Thomas should carry it immediately. Poor
Thomas was obliged to comply, though with a sorrowful
heart to leave the fawn. After his departure,
the ’squire ordered the fawn, when dressed,
to be brought to his table, which was done accordingly.
On Thomas’s return, he found himself
fairly tricked out of the fawn ; and instead of it,
to his mortification, bread and cheese, and small
beer, his old diet; however, Thomas vowed within
himself to revenge it the first opportunity.
A little while after, the ’squire, (who was going
to pay his addresses to a young lady,) gave orders
to Thomas to get the carriage, together with the
horses and harness, well cleaned. Thomas obeyed
the order, and on the road from the stable to the
’squire’s house, he met a man with a small sandcart,
drawn by two remarkably fine jack-asses.
Thomas insisted upon an exchange, the horses for
the asses, which being obtained, he cut all his
master’s fine harness to pieces, to fit these Arabian
ponies, as he styled them. Matters being completed,
he drove up boldly to the ’squire’s, and knocked
at the gate ; the porter perceiving the droll figure
his master’s equipage cut, burst out into an immoderate
fit of laughter! ‘ C’up, c’up,’ says
Thomas, ‘what’s the fool laughing at?—Go and
acquaint the ’squire his carriage is ready.’
Shortly after the ’squire came, and seeing his
carriage so beautifully adorned with cattle, was
struck with astonishment. ‘ Why, what the devil,’
quoth the ’squire, ‘ have you got harnessed to my
carriage?’ ‘I will tell you,’says Thomas. ‘As