ss or thi ticket"

"Tha'll write up ta Derby, an' then tha'll deceive me."
"I willn't, this time," said t'porter, "believe me."
"Then aht wi' thi brass, an' let us be knocking.
For I've walked it a fooit-back all raand bi t'Bocking."

CHAPTER VII

Perhaps it will not be out of place for me to introduce a few
recollections I have of several gentlemen who were about this time of my
life prominently before the public.

ABOUT OLD JOE FIRTH

I have heard Oastler speak of the tyranny of factory life in Keighley. I
remember hearing him speak at the "Non. Con." Chapel in Sun-street, when
Joe Firth, an old Keighleyite, rose from the gallery and began to address
the meeting. Mr Oastler invited Firth to the rostrum. He went and
delivered a vivid description of factory life. He was an illiterate man,
and spoke in his native dialect. His speech was so telling that it was
well reported, a column appearing in the _Leeds Weekly Times._ Firth was
fond of speaking of the way his speech was reported and dressed up so
that he really could not recognise his own words. Firth was afterwards
called to London to give evidence, and he saved enough money out of his
allowance to enable him to abandon hand wool-combing, and set up as a
hawker of tea and coffee. He never looked behind him after that, and,
being a great "spouter," he got onto the Keighley Local Board. He was one
of the opponents of the Baths and Washhouses Scheme, and, in fact, he
liked opposition in many things. He was a staunch teetotaller. He died
leaving some property.

TH' CROOKED LEGGED 'UNS O' KEIGHLEY

It was about this time that the people of Keighley got the by-name of
"th' crooked legged 'uns." It was not a mere local name, but became a
general stigmatic description of Keighley folks throughout the country.
The great agitator, the late Richard Oastler, was agitating for the Ten
Hours Bill at this time. Many of the young people of Keighley were then
"knock o' kneed" and otherwise deformed. This fact was represented to Mr
Oastler by the local poet, Abraham Wildman. The latter was interested in
the working folk, and had published some poems reflecting on their hard
life. Oastler took up the case of the children, twelve of whom with
crooked legs he had exhibited in the House of Commons. Wildman's poem,
descriptive of these poor young folk, was submitted to the Duke of
Wellington. His grace commended the poet, saying England would be in a