s old as Harriet Ann. Awve wondered monny
a time if Alick wor iver baan to start.'

"Has ta noa moor sense nor to talk like that afoor bits o' childer. If
shoo's as mich bother wi' him as awve had wi' thee, shoo'l wish shoo'd
nivver set een on him."

"But whear do yo meean to live? Yo'll want a haase somewhear."

"We've takken yond little cottage 'at yo can see o'th' hill-side yonder,
an' we've getten a bit o' furniture into it for a start."

"Why, that's the varry haase aw allus sed aw should like to live in if
ivver awd to flit," sed Jenny.

"Well, yo can come as sooin as yo like an' keep for Harriet Ann company,
an' if yo'll nobbut behave yorsen awl buy yo a teah-pot like that o' mi
mother's, an' yo can have it oth hob end throo morn to neet."

"That's reight enuff Alick, but aw should ha been better satisfied if--

"That's what aw say Jenny, aw should ha been better satisfied if--

"Caar ye daan, an' let th' young ens alooan, for for like all old
wimmen, for hard to pleeas."

Ratcatchin'.

Ther's roguery i' ivvery trade but awrs, awve' heeard fowk say, an
"ivverybody's honest till they're fun aght." That white hen at' nivver
lays away hasn't been hatched yet. It taks all sooarts to mak a world an
aw suppooas if they wornt ratcatchers ther'd be summat short. Sam
Sniffle wor a karacter in his way, he seemed to have a bit ov a
smatterin' o' iverything, but what he professed to know th' mooast abaat
wor dogs an rats. Noa daat he had a bit o' knowledge, but what wor far
more sarviceable to him nor owt else wor a simple luk 'at he could put
on, an' a bit ov a lisp 'at he had, made him seem soa harmless an simple
'at yo wodn't believe it possible for him to do owt wrang. He worn't
varry big, but he wor varry wiry, an as full o' pluck as a gamcock.

Aw remember one neet as he wor gooin hooam (net becoss he thowt it wor
time, but becoss his brass wor done), he happened to hear a bobby comin'
as he turned th' street corner. It wor varry dark, soa he just stept
back an waited for him comin', an as sooin as his heead popt past th'
corner, he gave him what he called a cauf-knock an sent him sprawlin'
his whoal length ith middle oth rooad. He wor hardly daan befoor Sam ran
to help him up. "A'a! whativver's to do mister poleeceman?" he sed. "Are
yo hurt? Do tell me," an he helpt him up an began to wipe th' muck off
his clooas wi' his pocket hankerchy. Th' poleeceman turned his
bull's-eye onto his face, but nubd