lus
faand him readin th' Evangelical Magazine, or else repooarts o'th'
Liberation Society, an' it worn't long befoor sombdy tell'd him in a
saycret 'at he wor baan to be propoased for a deacon. He tried to luk as
if he cared nowt abaat it, but as sooin as the chap went aght, he flang
his lather brush under th' table, threw his razor an' white appron into
a corner, upset his lather box on to th' Evangelical, an' ran up stairs
two steps at a time, an' seized a bottle off th' shelf, an' sayin,
'Here's to th' deacon!' swallowed hauf a pint o' neat, an' what else he
might ha done aw dooant know if he hadn't ommost brokken his neck wi'
tryin to turn a summerset.

This browt him to his senses a bit, an' then he sat daan to reckon up ha
mich a wick he'd have comin in when he'd getten wed to th' widder.

Nah aw hardly like to say it, but it's true, Tommy wor rayther fond ov a
drop o' summat strong, but he niver let monny fowk see him tak it after
he'd joined th' chapel. But he had just one confidential friend, an' he
allus tell'd him iverything, an' ov coarse he'd let him know all abaat
th' widder, an' being made a deacon; soa he sent for him, an' they'd a
fine time on it that neet, for they shut up th' shop an' gate as full as
they could carry, an' just as they wor gooin to pairt, a letter coom to
tell Tommy 'at he'd to be voted for as a deacon after th' Thursday's
meetin; an' as that day wor Tuesday they hadn't long to wait, soa they
detarmined to have another glass or two on th' heead on it, an' they
kept it up soa long wol at last they both fell asleep.

When they wakkened it wor broad dayleet, an' they felt rayther seedy;
soa they agreed to separate, an' Tommy made his friend promise to be
sure to call on him to tak him to th' meetin.

Alick promised, an' then left him. Nah Alick wor a man ov his word, soa
he decided net to goa hooam for fear o' forgettin, but he hadn't been
sat long i'th' 'Tattered Rag Tap,' befoor he fell asleep' 'When he
wakken'd it wor cloise on six o' clock, an' th' furst thowt 'at struck
him wor 'at that wor th' time for th' meetin;--for he didn't think 'at
it worn't wol the day after; soa swallowin daan another stiff glass o'
rum, he set off to fotch Tommy.

When he gate thear he saw Tommy sittin nursin his heead an' lukkin as
sanctimonious as if he'd niver done owt wrang in his life.

'Come on!' he sed, 'if tha doesn't luk sharp tha'll be to lat!'

'What does ta mean, Alick,' he sed, 'th' mee