uff to fry it."

Shoo worn't long afoor shoo had it nicely cooked, an' the tea made, an'
a thowt struck her' at shoo'd ax Sam's wife to her tea, for shoo knew
'at they didn't oft get steak at their haase, so Polly went an' browt
Mistress Sniggle an' all th' childer to ther tea, an' as ther wor eight
on' em, they varry sooin put thersen o'th' aghtside o'th' steak. They
set to wark then to get some clean pots ready for Joa, an' sent one
o'th' childer ta watch th' miln loise, ta tell Sam ta come wi' him. When
they come all wor nicely ready for' em, but ther minds worn't easy, for
ther'd been a policeman axing abaght 'em at ther wark, for Labon had
seen Sam at th' bottom o'th' steps, an' he thowt he knew summat abaght
it, soa they declared they'd niver own to it to a wick soul. As sooin as
they gate in they smell'd what wor up, for Joa knew ther wor noa mait i'
th' haase else, an' his wife had no brass to buy ony. He looked at Sam,
an' thear they stooid i' th' middle o' th' floor as white as two ghosts,
staring at one another, but they darn't spaik, an' booath waited to see
what t'other did.

"Come on to your drinkin'," said th' women.

"A'a! tha'rt a grand un, Joa," said his wife, "to put them steaks i' th'
cubbord an' niver say a word abaght it, an' tha knows ha fond aw am ov a
bit o' steak, an' it's a bit o' nice mait too, tho' it isn't as tender
as some. We've savvor'd it, aw con tell thi, for considerin' th' price
o' mait nah, a gooid steak's hardly within th' raich o' workin' fowk."

Joa wor dumb struck, he stirred his tea, but he couldn't tak his een off
th' steak. Sam rested his head on his hand an' complained abaght bein'
poorly.

"It's for want o' some gooid support, mun," said his wife, "get some o'
that mait into thi. It's made me feel a different body, awm as frisky as
a young foil, an' luk at th' childer, they're wrastlin' thear like young
bullocks. Mun, it puts a bit o'th' natur o'th' beast into 'em."

But Sam declared he felt poorly, an' couldn't touch mait; but Joa
couldn't spaik at all. As he sat starin' at th' dish, old Laban went
past th' door, wi' a basket o' awther arm shaatin' aght "Cockles alive!
Mussels alive, oh!" As sooin as Joa heard that he seized a fork, an'
stuck it into th' mait wi' sich a force, 'at he smashed th' dish an'
pinned it fast to th' table top. "Woa, up!" he said, "stop thee thear!"

"A'a! gaumless! tha's been having summat to sup this afternooin, aw can
see," said his wife