es an' am enjoyin' a rest-cure behind t'
lines; so don't thou worry thisen abaat me. I'm champion, an' I've nowt
to do but eyt an' sleep an' write a two-three letters when I've a mind
to; and what caps all is that I'm paid for doin' on it. There's a lass
here that said shoo'd write this here letter for me; but I'd noan have
her mellin' on t' job, though shoo were a bonny lass an' all----"

"What mak o' lass is yon?" interrupted Annie. "If he's bin takkin' up
wi' one o' them French lasses, he'll get a bit o' my mind when he cooms
back. He've allus bin fearful fain o' t' lasses, has Jim, an' I've
telled him more nor once I'd have no more on't. An' them Frenchies is
nasty good-for-nowts, I'll warrant. They want a few o' their toppins
pulled."

Here she paused, and the rest of her wrath was vented on the clothes in
the tub. Her mother continued to read aloud:

"Mind you let me know if Leeds beats Barnsla i' t' Midland Section next
Setterday. It'll be a long while afore I clap eyes on a paper aat here,
an' I've putten a bit o' brass on Leeds winnin' t' game. An' tell my
father he mun tak my linnit daan to t' Spotted Duck for t' next singin'
competition. He's a tidy singer is Bobby, if he's nobbut properly looked
efter. Tha mun mesh up a bit o' white o' egg wi' his linseed; there's
nowt like white o' egg for makkin' linnets sing----"

Once again Annie broke in upon the perusal of the letter. "Eh! but t'
lad's fair daft. All he thinks on is fooitball an' linnit matches. White
o' egg for linnits, is it! I'd have him know that eggs cost brass
nah-a-days. Why don't he 'tend to his feightin' an' get a stripe like
Sarah Worsnop's lad ower t' way?"

"Whisht a bit!" exclaimed her mother, "while I've gotten to t' end o' t'
letter. Eh! but he do write bad; t' words is fair tum'lin' ower one
anuther."

"I was in a bit o' a mullock," Private James Akroyd's letter went on,
"t' last time we were i' t' trenches; 'twern't mich to tell abaat, but
'twere hot while it lasted. There's lads says I'm baan to get a V.C. But
don't thou hark tul 'em; V.C.'s are noan for t' likes o' me.

"Jim."

"Is that all?" asked Annie, as her mother folded up the letter. "Don't
he want to know how mony teeth aar Jimmy's gotten, or owt abaat t'
pot-dogs I bowt i' t' markit."

"Nay, that's all," replied her mother, "without there's summat else i'
t' helmet." As she spoke she searched the helmet, and soon produced
another letter. It also was addressed to "