Ommost fust customer to enter th' shop wor Minnie. Shoo wanted a duzzen
fresh eggs. Chairley's face went as red as a pickled cabbage, an when he
went to get em his hands tremeled soa at he smashed two.

"Oh, what a pity," sed Minnie.

"Oh, net at all, awm quite used to it," he stammered. Then Minnie stared
at him an laft, an he tried to laff to, an one oth' shop lads gave a
guffaw an this soa nettled Chairley 'at he samd th' bag wi th' eggs in
an sent it flyin at his heead, an gave it sich a crack at th' bag wor
brussen, an th' eggs all smashed wor sylin daan throo his heead to his
feet, an just then th' maister walked in.

Minnie stood stupified an Chairley seized his hat an ran aght at th'
back door. Wol th' lad wor splutterin an slobberin, an th' maister
doncin mad, Minnie slipt aght an bowt her eggs at another shop. But shoo
couldn't get Chairley aght of her mind. Shoo'd allus admired him, an
thowt what a gooid husband he'd mak for somdy when he gate a bit older;
an nah shoo saw as plainly as could be ha matters stood, an guessed as
near trewth as if Chairley had tell'd her all abaat it.

It wor lat on ith' day when Chairley slunk into th' shop, an th' maister
mooationed for him to step into th' private office. What tuk place aw
dooan't exactly know, but when they coom aght Chairley lukt varry warm,
an th' maister had a grin on his face at wor a gooid sign.

Three or four days passed, an Minnie nivver entered that shop. Chairley
tried to feel thankful, for he didn't know ha to face her, an yet he wor
miserable, for he felt as if he couldn't live withaat her.

Just as he wor turnin th' corner oth' street on his way hooam,--it wor
ommost dark an he wor in a varry low kay;--a voice cloise to him sed,
"What's the price of fresh eggs to-day, Chairley?"

Chairley felt like jumpin aght ov his skin, as he turned raand an saw
Minnie, laffin all ovver her face an lukkin moor bewitchinly bonny nor
ivver.

"A'a, Minnie! Miss Minnie, aw meean;--Aw have to beg yo pardon. Aw'll
nivver do it agean as long as aw live. Will yo forgie me this time, an
coom to th' shop as usual?"

"Has the shop-boy forgiven you?"

"Aw care nowt abaat him."

"But the master?"

"Oh' he's all reight, but when aw gate to know who yo wor, they could ha
fell'd me wi a feather."

Minnie had stept back into th' shadder oth' porch an wor sittin on th'
step. Chairley wor ith' shadder o'th' porch too. All wor varry quiet for
a long time an whe