er, an away they went.

Mistress Whitin wor sittin just as Sammywell had left her, an wor runnin
ovver in her mind th' names ov all th' fowk she knew at kept fish shops.
When Mally stept in shoo didn't nooatice at shoo wor varry excited soa
shoo sed,

"Come in, Mally;--awm just studyin abaat what yo're Grimes wor axin me
two-or-three minnits sin."

"It needs noa studyin abaat. Yo know what he axt yo weel enuff, but yo
dooant want to tell. Aw've allus takken yo to be a varry different
sooart ov a woman. Didn't aw hear yo, wi mi own ears, tellin owd Widdy
Baystey,--noa longer sin nor this mornin, at sin yor husband began gooin
to Jim Nations at he gate mussels twice as big as at onny other shop?
Nah, deny it if yo can. Aw dooant see what ther is to laff at nawther."

"Why, Mistress Grimes, yo've made a sad mistak. Aw wor nobbut advisin
Mistress Baystey to let her lad,--him at's so waikly,--to goa th'
Gymnasium. Sin my husband started o' gooin he's twice as strong as he
wor, an th' muscles ov his arms are twice th' size they used to be. Yo
see its been all a mistak."

It tuk Mally a minnit or two befoor shoo could reckon things up fairly,
but as sooin as shoo did shoo laft too, an then takkin Jerrymier bith
arm started off to find th' nearest fish shop.

They hadn't far to goa, but when shoo axt th' chap ha he wor sellin his
mussels, he stared at her wi' all th' een in his heead.

"Mussels! Ther's noa mussels at this time oth' year," he sed.

Mally lukt flummuxt for a minnit, then givin Jerrymier a shillin to goa
to th' pooarkshop for a duzzen sheep trotters, they sooin landed safely
hooam.

"Noa wonder tha didn't bring onny mussels, Sammywell, for they arn't i'
season, but aw've browt summat aw know tha likes. Here Jerrymier, tak
these for thisen, an dooant be long befoor tha'rt i' bed."

Ha they enjoyed ther supper aw can nobbut guess, an what explanation
shoo gave Grimes aw dooant know, but Jerrymier an his gronfather wor
laffin fit to split th' next mornin, at th' yard botham.

Bob Brierley's Bull Pup.

Bob Brierley had been wed three months. He wor a book-keeper an a varry
daycent chap for owt aw knaw to th' contrary. His wife wor a nice young
thing, an blest wi a gooid share o' common sense. It seems strange, but
yo'll find its generally th' case, at th' best lasses wed th' biggest
fooils. But this isn't allus soa, for aw wed one o'th best misen.

Hasumivver, Bob an his wife wor varry happy, at