lustration: "Now then, play up, all o' yea--ar-har!"]

[_One of the boys pays a penny, and pulls a handle, propelling
a marble, which, after striking a bell at the top of the
slope, wobbles down into a compartment._

_The Boy_ (_indicating a gorgeous china ornament on the board_). I'll
'ave one o' them--to take 'ome to mother.

_The S.L.G._ (_with pitying superiority_). No, my boy, you can go to a
shop and _buy_ one o' them for sixpence if you like--but 'ere you must
'ave what you _git_!

[_She awards him a very dingy lead-pencil, with which he
departs, abashed, and evidently revolving her dark saying in
his perplexed mind._

_Proprietor of a Box-pitching Saloon._ One penny a ball! For hevery
ball that goes in the boxes, you choose any prize you like! (_With
sorrow and sympathy, to a female Competitor._) Too 'ard, Lady, too
_'ard_! (_To a male Comp., whose ball has struck the edge of the box,
and bounced off._) Very _near_, Sir!

[_Several Competitors expend penny after penny unsuccessfully,
and walk away, with a grin of entire satisfaction._

_Joe_ (_landing a ball in one of the boxes, after four failures_). I
told 'ee I'd get _waun_ in! (_To his Young Woman._) What are ye goin'
to 'ave, MELIA?

_Melia_ (_hovering undecidedly over a glittering array of shell-boxes,
cheap photograph-albums and crockery_). I'll take one o'--no, I won't
neither.... I really don't know _what_ to 'ave!

_Joe_ (_with masculine impatience_). Well, go on--take _summat_, can't
ye! (_MELIA selects a cup and saucer, as the simplest solution of the
problem._) I doan't carl that mooch of a show for fippence, I
doan't. Theer, gi' us 'old on it. [_He stows the china away in his
side-pockets._

_Melia._ You took an' 'urried me so--else I don't know as I fancied
a cup and sarcer so partickler. I wonder if the man 'ud change it,
supposin' we was to go back and ast 'im!

_Joe_ (_slapping his thigh_). Well, you _are_ a gell and no mistake!
Come along back and git whatever 'tis you've a mind to. (_Returning._)
'Ere, Master, will ye gi' this young woman summat else for this 'ere?
(_He extracts the cup in fragments._) 'Ullo, look a' _that_ now! (_To
MELIA._) Theer, it's all right--doan't take on 'bout it.--I'll 'ave
another go to make it oop. (_He pitches ball after ball without
success._) I wawn't be bett. I lay I'll git 'un in afoor I've done!
(_He is at last successful._) Theer--now, ye can please yourself,
a