I turn up my toes to
th' daisies, an' how the government'll mak' up their moinds who shall
ha' th' honor o' payin' for th' moniment."

In Mr. Craddock's opinion, his skill in the solution of political and
social problems was only equalled by his aptitude in managing the weaker
sex. He never lost his temper with a woman. He might be sarcastic, he
was sometimes even severe in his retorts, but he was never violent. In
any one else but Mr. Craddock, such conduct might have been considered
weak by the male population of Riggan, who not unfrequently settled
their trifling domestic difficulties with the poker and tongues, chairs,
or flat-irons, or indeed with any portable piece of household furniture.
But Mr. Craddock's way of disposing of feminine antagonists was
tolerated. It was pretty well known that Mrs. Craddock had a temper,
and since he could manage her, it was not worth while to criticise the
method.

"Tha'rt an owd yommer-head," said Mrs. Crad-dock, as oracularly as if
she had never made the observation before. "Tha deserves what tha has na
getten."

"Aye, that I do," with an air of amiable regret "Tha'rt reet theer fur
once i' thy loife. Th' country has na done its duty by me. If I'd had aw
I deserved I'd been th' Lord Mayor o' Lunnon by this toime, an' tha'd a
been th' Lady May-oress, settin' up i' thy parlor wi' a goold crown atop
o' thy owd head, sortin' out thy cloathes fur th' wesh woman i'stead o'
dollyin' out thy bits o' duds fur thysen. Tha'rt reet, owd lass--tha'rt
reet enow."

"Go thy ways to th' Public," retorted the old dame driven to
desperation. "I'm tired o' heark-enin' to thee. Get thee gone to th'
Public, or we'st ha' th' world standin' still; an' moind tha do'st na
set th' horse-ponds afire as tha goes by em.

"I'll be keerful, owd lass," chuckled Sammy, taking his stick. "I'll be
keerful for th' sake o' th' town."

He made his way toward the village ale-house in the best of humors.
Arriving at The Crown, he found a discussion in progress. Discussions
were always being carried on there in fact, but this time it was not
Craddock's particular friends who were busy. There were grades even
among the visitors at The Crown, and there were several grades below
Sammy's. The lowest was composed of the most disreputable of the
colliers--men who with Lowrie at their head were generally in some
mischief. It was these men who were talking together loudly this
evening, and as usual, Lowrie was the loudes