ad in his pockit, 'at had been subscribed for th' missionarys at th'
Sundy skooil."

"Is he mich war?" aw axed.

"His Sundy coit's all tore to ribbons, an his ankles sprained; one o'
his front teeth is knocked clean aght, an' his watch is gooan. Aw shall
be only too thankful if he gets to his wark in a fortneet."

"Hev yo' telled th' perleece?" Sarah sed.

"Noa," shoo sed, "it wodn't be noa sooart o' use tellin' them chaps,
they're too lazy to do owt nobbut draw ther wage,--besides, Martin's
that forgivin', 'at he says he'd rayther suffer i' silence nor let
onnybody be punished on his accant--but aw mun be off." An' shoo went
aght wi' th' bottle.

"Ther's a deal o' humbug i' this world," Sarah sed, when th' woman wor
gooan, "awm glad he's getten catched at last, aw mak nowt o' sich
decaitful fowk, robbin' poor people o' ther brass,--it's little enuff
'at we can finger honestly nah a days. Aw've been wantin a new bonnet
monny a week--Missis Lupton's getten one, an' shoo's getten a faal face
to put inside ov it two, an aw dooant like to be bet bi a woman like
that,--soa if yo' can get that five bob thro' Uriah, it'll come in
handy. Aw've sed times an times agean, 'at them Lodges wor th' nearest
fowk i' all Maant Pleasant, an' fowk owt to pay ther debts, whether it's
bettin or whether it isn't."

"Aw'll see him to morn."

"That's reight, lad, do, an' let's goa to bed nah, for we shall have a
rare gas nooat this quarter if we sit up like this."

Th' Next Mornin'.

Aw'll nivver get druffen noa mooar,
It's th' last time is this, an that's trew,--
For mi booans is all shakkin an sooar,
Throo th' craan o' mi hat, to mi shoe.

An mi skin, it's all cover'd wi' marks,
Some's blue, an some's black, an some's red;
Yo connot think ha mi heead warks,
An it feels just as heavy as lead.

Aw connot tell ha' aw gate fresh,
For aw didn't sup ovver mich drink,--
It's mi stummack 'at's weakly, aw guess,
It couldn't be nowt else aw' think,
For aw'd nobbut a gallon o' beer,
A couple o' whiskeys,--a rum,--
Happen two--for awm net varry clear
Hah monny--aw knaw aw hed some.

That's all, tho' aw'd happen a drop
Lat on, 'at aw knaw nowt abaat;
For th' lanlord he tell'd mi to stop,
When th' brass i' mi pocket runn'd aght,
Aw remember beein chuckt into th' street
At cloisin time, nothin noa mooar,--
An mi mates set mi up o' mi feet,
An propt me agean a hasse door.

All th' rest o'