o'-th'-
Dike, as shoo wor called, wor as queer a customer as her husband, an if
we're to believe what shoo says, if it hadn't ha been for her, Dave wod
ha been a poor lost craytur. Shoo didn't appreciate his genius that's
true, but wives as a rule niver do; but shoo let him have his own way,
an sometimes, when her wark wor done, shoo'd even help him wi some of
his fooilery. Aw'd heeard a gooid deal abaat 'em, soa one day aw
detarmined aw'd pay 'em a visit, soa, after gettin' off at th' Copley
Station, aw started to climb a rough, steep loin, moor like th' bed of a
beck nor owt else, but trees o' awther side hung over wol they met at
th' top, an made a cooil shade 'at wor varry welcome, for aw wor ommost
sweltered. After a long scramel aw fan misen o Norland Moor--an it wor a
seet worth tewing for, for th' heather wor i' bloom, an it lukt as if a
purple carpet had been laid for th' buzzards an bees to frolic on; an
ther wor sich a hum raand wol it saanded as if they wor playin' bass to
th' skylarks 'at wor warblin' up aboon. Aw struck aght in as straight a
line as aw could for David's, an havin come to th' garden gate, aw stopt
a minnit to admire th' flaars 'at covered th' graand an th' walls, an
even stretched far onto th' thack. Aw hadn't stood long when a voice
claise to my ear sed--

"Might yo be lukkin' for somdy?"

"Are yo Mistress Drake?" aw axed.

"Eea, aw believe aw am; but what might yo be wantin'? If yo've owt to
sell yo've comed to th' wrang shop, for brass is varry scarce here?"

"Aw've nobbut comed to see yor maister," aw sed; "is he in?"

"Nay, he isn't, an aw dooant know whear yo'll find him, for aw've niver
met him yet; but if it's awr Dave yo meean, he's inside, soa yo can walk
forrad, an if it's onny shoes yo want mendin', aw can see to that as
weel as him, for he's reckonin' to be thrang this afternoon?"

"Aw've nobbut come to have a bit o' tawk," aw sed.

"Oh, if that's all yo can come in; there's a deeal moor fowk come to
tawk to him nor what brings him any wark; but it's happen as weel, for
if it worn't for me bein' allus naggin' at him, he'd nivver get done th'
bit he does; an as it is, he's hammerin' away when he owt to be i' bed,
an' keepin' ivverybody else wakken; but aw've tried to taich him sense
wol aw'm fair stall'd, soa he mun goa his own gate an tak th'
consequences. Come yor ways; we's find him i' th' far raam makkin marks
an' spoilin' cleean paper."

We went up a narrow passage