e, an aw'll send thi some."

Jim then walked away, an leavin' Slinger screwed up like a dishclaat, he
went into th' haase, and call'd for a quart.

"Well, what's come o' Slinger?" said Molly.

"Oh, he's all reight--he's gooin through his degrees to get made into a
sargent or a corporal or some other sort ov a ral, but aw'll bet he'll
wish it wor his funeral afoor aw've done wi' him."

Jimmy sat comfortably suppin' his stiffshackle an smokin' a bit o'
bacca, an tried by all th' means in his power to wheedle th' owd woman
into his way o' thinkin'.

"Tha mud do wor nor ha' me mun" he said, "aw'm nut ovver handsome aw
know, but ther's nowt abaght me to flay onybody."

"Ther'll nubby be freetened o' thee lad, tha need'nt think," shoo says,
"for tha reminds me ov a walkin' cloaas peg--if tha'd been split a bit
heigher up tha'd ha' done for a pair o' cart shafts."

"Well tha knows beauty's i'th eye o'th beholder," says Jim.

"They'd be able to put all thy beauty i' ther e'e an see noa war for
it," shoo says.

"Well, aw'm willin' to work an keep thi a lady as far as th' brass 'll
gaa."

"What mack ov a lady aw should like to know? Th' same as aw am nah aw
reckon, up to th' elbows i' soap suds. But once for all aw want thi to
understand at aw'm nooan i'th weddin' vein at present."

"Well tha'rt a hard-hearted woman, that's what tha art--an nooan as
gooid ith' bottom as tha mud be, or else tha'd niver live here chaitin'
th' excise for a livin', astead o' being th' wife ov a daycent chap. Aw
ommost wish aw'd letten them chaps catch thi; it ud nobbut ha sarved thi
reight."

"Sarved me reight, wod it? Well tha con goa an fotch Slinger aght o'
th' pigcoit (for aw reckon he's thear yet), but ha mich better ar ta, at
sits thear suppin' it? But whether aw'm as gooid as aw should be or
net, aw'm sure tha'rt a gooid-for-nowt, an th' sooiner tha taks thi hook
aght o' this haase an' th' better, for aw've studden thy nonsense woll
aw'm fair staled. Are ta baan? For if tha doesn't tha'll get this
poaker abaght thi heead."

"Nay! Nay! tha doesn't mean it?" said Jim, jumpin' aght o'th gate, "tha
wodn't hurt me surelee?"

"Hurt thi! drabbit thi up, tha's spun me to th' length--ger aght o' that
door."

Jimmy kept backin' aght step by step, an' Molly wor flourishin' th'
poaker, but nother on em saw at th' peggy-tub wor fair i'th gate woll
Jim backed slap into it. Splash went th' watter o' ivery side, an'
Molly skriked, "