an went to put summat into his
purse, an wor rayther surprised at Mally didn't follow to see ha mich he
tuk, for he had to goa into a box whear they kept ther savins at wor
nivver suppooased to be touched except on special occasions.

"Aw shalln't need mich for a job o' this sooart," he sed, "if aw
remember reightly that straw hat aw bowt last summer nobbut cost me
eighteen pence, an shoo willn't want one as big as that; but awst nooan
be to two-a-three penoth o' copper; an aw mud as weel have a bit extra
to swagger wi." Soa he tuk a couple o' soverins,--ov coarse intendin to
bring em back, an then hurried off wi Hepsabah as fast as he could for
fear Mally wod ax some questions he didn't want to answer.

"Whear are we to goa?" he axt as soon as they wor aght o'th seet o'th
haase.

"Aw think Pinchems an Twitchems will be th' best place," sed Hepsabah.

"Just whearivver tha likes, an be sewer tha gets one to suit thi."

When they gate to th' shop, Sammywell felt like holdin back, for he'd
nivver been i' sich a place befoor, but he screwed his courage up, an
tellin' Hepsabah to lead th' way he follered, feelin like a fish aght o'
watter.

Hepsabah walked in as if shoo owned th' shop, an spaikin to a gentleman,
they wor shown up stairs whear ther wor sich a lot o' wimmin tryin hats
on, an sich a lot o' young lasses fussin abaat an attendin to em, wol
Sammywell wor fairly flammergasted amang it. One nice young woman browt
him a cheer to sit on, but he darn't ventur 'on it, for it lukt as if it
wor made o' black sealin wax, but Hepsabah flopt daan on it as if shoo'd
been used to sittin o' sich articles all her life. Sammywell whispered
to her to be as sharp as shoo could, an stood watchin what wor gooin on.
Then th' young woman coom agean wi her armful o' what lukt to be flaars
an feathers an ribbins all jumbled in a lump, but which proved to be
what they called hats, an as shoo put furst one an then another on to
Hepsabah, he wor fairly surprised to discover what a bonny lukkin woman
his dowter wor; an when shoo axt him which he liked best, he could
nobbut say, "onny on em! suit thisen, lass!" an th' young woman smiled
at him an sed, "It's nice when a gentleman likes to see his wife well
dressed," an Sammywell blushed an sed "Hem! hem!" but didn't undeceive
her. After tryin on abaat a scoor, nooan seemin to exactly suit
Hepsabah, th' young woman browt another, an Sammywell's e'en fairly
sparkled. "By th' heart!" he se