Scotland/Scots > Man of feeling

34. THE MAN OF FEELING.
for. In the height of this fever, Mr.
Harley, the houfe where I lay took
fire, and burnt to the ground : I was
carried out in that condition, and lay
all the reft of my illnefs in a barn. I
got the better of my difeafe however,,
but I was fo weak that I fpit blood
whenever I attempted to work. I had
no relation living that I knew of, and I
never kept a friend above a week, when
I was able to joke ; I feldom remained
above fix months in a parifh, fo that I
might have died before I had found a
fettlement in any : thus I was forced to
beg my bread, and a forry trade I found
it, Mr. Harley. I told all my misfor¬
tunes truly, but they were feldom be¬
lieved ; and the few who gave me a
halfpenny as they pafied, did it with a
lhake of the head, and an injunttion
not to trouble them with a long ftory.
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