hink, an hear what they've to say,"
he sed. Soa they went in, an when they'd tell'd th' tale shoo laff'd as
hard as any on 'em, for shoo worn't a bad bottom'd woman though she had
a tongue; soa after makkin all things straight shoo ax'd' em to have a
drop o' summat, which they had, an as shoo sed, "Drink o' ony sooart wor
a thing 'at shoo seldom or iver touched, though th' doctors had ordered
it for her, time after time, yet considerin 'at Broddington had missed
his cheap trip, an 'at all matters had been put to reights, shoo made
hersen a drop o' whisky an hot watter, an as they sat tawkin an smookin
they coom to th' conclusion 'at it wor nivver safe to judge bi
appearances. Clarkson wor soa pleased at his wite takkin it i' sich a
philosophical way, wol he bowt her a new gaan, an when th' naybors saw
her turn aght in it th' next Sunday, they nodded an smiled at her as if
they could like to put her into ther pockets, but as sooin as shoo'd
turned her back they curl'd ther nooas an turned up th' whites o' ther
eyes, an sed, in a varry mysterious way, "It'll do woll it lasts."

A'a dear I tak my advice an nivver trust to appearances.

Mi First Testimonial.

Young Gawthorp lived at t'Cat-i-t'well; some on yo may know him, he used
to come to Halifax twice i' th' wick to buy his greens and stuff to
hawk, an' he allus call'd at t'Tabor to get a pint as he went hooam.

Nah Chairley (his mother had kursen'd him Chairley becoss shoo wor
sittin in a chair th' furst time shoo saw him); well, Chairley worn't
like some country hawbucks at fancied' coss he sell'd puttates an
turnips, 'at he needed no mooar knowledge nor to be able to tell th'
difference between a parsnip an' a manglewurzell. Noa, Chairley had an
inquirin' mind, an' if it hadn't been at one leg wor shorter nor
t'other, he'd a been a sowdger, for his heart wor as brave as any
greengrocer's heart cud be expected to be.

One neet he'd been to th' taan, an' wor trudgin hooam beside owd
Testy--that's his donkey's name, an' aw owt to tell yo hah it happen'd
to be call'd Testy; ther's nowt like explainin' things as we goa on.
Chairley used to goa to th' Sunday Skooil, an' he wor allus soa weel
behaved, an' hardly ivver missed a Sunday withaat bringin' his taicher
awther a apple or toffy or summat, wol th' Superintendant took sich a
fancy to him, 'at he determined to get up a testimonial for him; soa one
day he call'd him to one side, an' strokin' his heead as ten