noa mooar on it."

"Well," said Dick, "tha mayn't feel it nah, but aw shouldn't be capped
if thi inside wor to grow full o' ringlets."

"Niver heed that, they'll keep mi belly warm," said Tommy, "but th'
bacca's done, soa aw mun be making mi way shorter. Gooid day, Dick."

"Gooid day, Tommy. Aw hope tha'll have a fine day for thi walk."

"Eea, eea, aw hope aw shall, but if it rains aw sholl'n't melt."

"Nooah, but its rayther coolish."

"It'll be warmer as it gets ooater, Dick. Gooid day."

And thus the two friends parted; each smiling at the quaint humor of the
other;--the one to climb seven miles of rough and heavy road to get his
toe nails cut, and the other to pay an early visit to his son, and rest
his limbs, which by six days of willing toil had earned a Sabbath's
rest. He walked slowly, musing as he went, and every now and again
making audible the current of his thoughts.

"Its monny a long year sin aw saw owd Tommy before, an' it may be monny
a long year before aw see his face agean; aw think owd Time must use him
wi' a gentler hand nor he uses me. Aw remember th' first time aw saw
him, he wor coming past th' churn milk Joan, wi' a lump o' parkin in his
hand as big as awr ooven top; an' that wor th' day 'at Jenny an' me wor
wed. It seems like a dream to me nah. Poor Jenny!--if there's a better
place, tha'rt nooan soa far off thear!" And then he paused to wipe the
heavy drops from off his cheeks. "Aw thowt aw'd getten ower this sooart
o' thing, nah he sed, but aw believe aw niver shall. Its just five year
come Easter sin aw laid her low, an awve niver been able to aford a
grave stooan for her yet, but aw can find that bit o' rising graand
withaat a mark, an prize it nooan the less. But its noa gooid freating
abaght things we cannot help. Aw'll have another reek or two an' goa an'
see awr Joa." So filling his little black clay pipe with the fragrant
weed (which for convenience he carried loose in his waistcoat pocket),
he puffed his cloud of incense in the air and hastened on to gain his
journey's end. A walk of a few minutes brought him to the door of a low
whitewashed farm-house, around which the cans were reared, ready to be
filled with the morning's milk. He ventured in, (first carefully
removing all the mire from his shoes, lest he should soil the nicely
sanded floor,) and drawing up the old arm chair which shone like
polished ebony,--he looked around the strange apartment. "Its a queer
fancy (he said