Seets i' Blackpool, Fleetwood, Lytham, and Southport : as seen bi Sammywell Grimes an' his wife Mally on their hallidy trip, wi' a few incidents an' accidents 'at occurred

Front matter

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I' Bl^dKPoO^

By J6fy\ fkftley.

Introduction

||! KOLERSHIP'S a fine thing. Aw've just been to /O see awr Isaac, an' he tells me 'at Blackpool is i' Lancasher. It's true noa daat; an' they owt to be varry thankful for it, for if it had been shoved a bit farther aght, it ud ha been ith' Irish seah. 'Aw have been thear an' still wod goa,' awr Mally started singin' when we landed hooam after a spree we'd had thear, but as sooin as aw tell'd her 'at aw wor baan to put it all into a book an' let fowk know ha we'd gooan on, shoo altered her tune to 'Do if tha dar,' but that maks noa difference to me, for awd made up mi mind 'at awd scribble a bit abaat it if it wor nobbut for th' fun o' th' thing, an' when my mind is once made up, its a case. Ther's ivver soa monny fowk 'at's tried to caancil me net to do it, for they say 'at all's been sed 'at's worth sayin', but awm net soa sewer abaat that ! Ther's lots been sed 'at wornt worth sayin', that aw do know, an' aw can nobbut mak as big a fooil o' misen as th' rest on 'em, an' ther is a chonce 'at aw mud do better. At onnyrate, if ther's nubdy else reads it, awr Mally will, an' its sewer to be tawked abaat, if its nobbut at awr haase. Gooid, bad, or indifferent, its here, an' if it suits yo, soa mich the better for yo, an' if it does'nt,— well, its noa fault o' mine. Yo connot loise mich, for its worth what it costs if its nobbut for yo to hold i' yor hand, an' mak believe 'at yor readin', when at th' same time yor watchin' th' bathers bobbin up an' daan ith' salt seah waves. Soa noa moor at present throo

Yor's etsetterra,

SAMMYWELL GRIMES.

doNT^NT^.

CHAPTER. PAGE.

first— leavin' an" landin' 7

Second — Seekin' Lodgins' an' staetin' on th' Spree 24

Third— Winter Gardens 42

Fourth — Uncle Tom's Cabin 54

Fifth — Sunday 67

Sixth— Fleetwood and Raikes' Hall 77

Feventh— Southport and Lytham 86

Eighth — Grimes's Reflections 93

Ninth— Mally seekin' fresh fish — Mally at th' Likeness Takkers— Visit to th' Prince of

Wales Theayter 101

Tenth — Hoam once moor 120

CHAPTER FURST.

leeavin' an' landin'.

|WD craytur," aw sed to awr Mally one neet, when shoo'd just sided up an' getten set daan ith' rockin' cheer wi her knittin', " ha Jg does ta feel ?"

( " Aw feel wi mi hands when aw do feel,

what's ta ax me sich a gaumless question as that for?"

"Aw want to know ha tha feels i' thi constitution like, for awm sewer aw fancy tha does'nt luk as breet an' bloomin as tha did, an' aw dooant think thi pecker's up to th' mark, for tha's etten varry little this last two days, an' tha knows thart one at needs a gooid deeal o' suppoort. Ha does ta think a two-o'-three bottles o' pooarter ud do for thi ? Tha knows aw connot affoord to loise thi just yet, for times is bad, an' gettin wed agean connot be done baat brass, an' aw've noa nooation o' livin' bi mysen."

" Sammywell !" shoo sed, an' shoo dropt her knittin' an' lukt at me ovver th' top ov her specks, — "Sammywell, aw dooant want onny unpleasantness, an' aw dooant want thee to fly up in a tantrum when aw spaik, but if aw spaik th' real sentiments o' mi mind, aw mun tell thi 'at aw dooant think ther's a bigger hypocrite walks th' face o' this eearth nor what tha art, an' th' longer tha lives an' th' moor brassened tha grows. Whether aw luk ill or weel, or whether aw ait or clam nivver causes thee a minit's uneasyness, an' soa asteead o' gooin' beeatin' abaat th' bush, just aght with it an' let's know what thart drivin' at. An' as to bottled pooarter, — tha knows its a thing aw abominate, as aw do all other sooarts o' druffen swill, except a little drop o' gin, nah an' then, when awm feelin' fairly worn aght, same as aw do to neet, an' ther's th' empty bottle at th' back o' th' setpot lid, an' its been thear gooidness knows ha long, an' thear aw suppooas it '11 ha to stop, unless aw faint reight away an' some o' th' naybors taks pity on me an' sends for two-penoth."

" Aw didn't know it wor empty," aw sed, " awm sewer aw browt some yesterdy."

" Eeah, tha did bring a little teeny drop, but yond little thing o' awr Hepsaba's wor varry near double fold wi th' wind ov it stummack, an' aw couldn't see th' poor child suifer, even if awd nivver another taste as long as awd to live."

" But tha'd nivver give th' child a shillinsoth o' gin?"

"Aw dooant know whear tha buys thy gin, but tha awther gets varry short messur or else tha has a swig or two on th' rooad ; its varry little at ivver raiks this shop aw do know! An' th' cork wor a rotten en, an' yo connot keep liquors unless yo've a gooid cork, it vaporates just like weshin' liquor. Aw connot say 'at aw didn't just weet mi lips wi what tha browt, but that wor abaat all."

" Why, ne'er heed, lass, awm just gooin up th' street for a minit, an' awl tak th' empty bottle wi me an' see if aw can get a drop moor put in, an' if awr Hepsaba's child wants onny, they mun get some o' ther own."

" That's a nice excuse ! Reckonin' to be fotchin' gin for me when all th' time thart hankerin' after summat for thisen ! A'a, Sammywell ! aw've nooan lived wi thee all thease years for nowt. Aw can just read thi like readin' a book. But off tha goas, for aw believe that spark at th' top o' thi throit '11 nivver be sleckt wol thart ready for thi coffin. Tha'll find th' bottle whear aw tell'd thi, an' if tha does get owt into it let it be owd Tom, an' be sewer tha gets a new cork."

Shoo says shoo can read me like readin' a book, an' varry likely shoo's nooan far wrang, but ther's io SEETS I' BLACKPOOL.

other fowk can read human natur beside her. Aw knew what th' owd craytur wanted, soa aw went an' gat her a drop ov her favourite lotion, an' aw made her a glass, nice an' hot, wi plenty o' sewgar in, an' its like as if it thawd th' casin ov her heart an' shoo wor just as nice as nice could be. When aw saw at shoo wor melted just abaat enuff, aw says, — " What's ta think ?"

" Nay, lad, what abaat, pray thee ?"

" Ha wod ta like to goa off for a day or two to th' seah side ? Iverry body else seems to do it, an' aw dooant see but what tha stands i' need ov a bit ov a change as weel as them."

" A'a ! Sammywell ! aw wonder what tha'll get into thi heead next! Ha con aw goa to th' seah side an' leeav all thease stockins to mend, an' we hav'nt breead at '11 see us ovver to-morn, an' tha knows what a wesh ther is ivvery Mondy, an' awd meant hevvin' th' blankets done next wick. An' then ha could ta get on if tha wor left here bi thisen ?"

" Oh, but aw meean gooin too. Nobbut aw shouldn't like to goa unless tha went, for tha sees, th' owder aw get an' th' fonder aw am on thi."

" Sammywell, do have some regard for trewth. If tha's made up thi mind to goa to th' seah side, an' tha connot fashion to goa an' leeav me at hooam, on accaant o' th' naybor's cryin' shame on thi, as they have done befoor time, an' net withaat cause,

SEETS P BLACKPOOL. n

— goa! but dooant want to ram it daan my throit at thart dooin it to suit me, for awm too owd a burd to be catched wi sich chaff as that. But if tha does goa, whear does ta think o' gooin too. For mi own pairt, aw think Hollinoth Lake ud do as weel as onny place, an' then aw could goa an' see mi aunt Marget's dowter's lass, if shoo's livin', for aw hav'nt heeard owt on her for a duzzen year."

" Nay, lass, that's nooan salt watter !"

" Why, what difference does that mak, tha doesnt want to sup it does ta ? But ov coorse tha'll goa thi own gate, noa matter what aw say. Whear does ta think o' gooin to ?"

"We'll goa to Blackpool, lass, for ther's a trip th' day after to-morn for a wick, an' it'll just give thi nice time to get ready."

"A'a, dear! ther isn't another woman i' this world 'at ud put up wi thee as aw have to do ! But it's mi own fault, for aw've marr'd thi wol ther'd be noa livin wi thi unless aw let thi have all thi own way. Tha can have a drop o' that gin if tha likes, but dooant tak mich, for tha knows ha it upsets thi ov a mornin. An' nah tha can pike off to bed as sooin as tha's a mind, for aw've ivvery thing to get ready. Aw think ther nivver wor a poor woman at had to put up wi sich things as me. Dooant empty th' bottle, for gooidness sake ! Yond child o' Hepsaba's mud be takken badly ageean ith' neet, an' it'll nivver do to be withaat a drop o' summat ! But tha has noa thowt nobbut for thisen !"

Aw went to bed, but what time Mally coom aw dooant know, for aw wor sooin asleep. When aw did wakken, all wor dark an' aw wor feearfully dry, soa aw gate up for a drink. Aw struck a leet an' aw saw th' gin bottle, but it wor empty, soa aw suppooas that poor child o' Hepsaba's must ha had another attack. Its cappin what it suffers, tho' it luks weel, an' aw nivver see it ail owt. Next mornin aw could see 'at my room- wod be moor welcome nor mi compny, soa aw set off for a stroll, an' left Mally to her bakin', an' weshin', an' ironin' an' kept aght o' th' gate wol neet. When aw did goa hooam, th' haase lukt as if we wor intendin' to start a provision shop, an' had just getten th' stock in. " Is this for a teah party ?" aw axt.

"Are ta for a teah party, thinks ta? We'st want a bit o' summat to tak with us aw reckon ! Does ta think at awm baan to ait onny sooart o' stuff at other fowks has messed abaat ? Awl have a bit o' gradely grub whativver comes ; — tha can suit thisen."

Aw sed nowt, for aw wanted to get away as quietly as we could. When shoo went to bed that neet, shoo could sleep withaat rockin', but that didn't prevent her bein up i' gooid time next mornin. Aw can stand a gooid deeal, but if awd

SEJETS P BLACKPOOL. 13

known aw should ha had a twentieth pairt to stand at aw stood that mornin awd ha let Blackpool be an unknown country to me to th' end o' mi days. What wi her forgettin things an' bethinkin' her, an' fussin' an' flightin' me, an' givin' orders to Hepsaba an' to Isaac an' Ezra, (for shoo had 'em all thear,) aw wor varry near driven ranty. But shoo looadened 'em ivvery one, beside what awd to hug an' her own market basket, an' as we went aght o' th' fold th' naybors shaated aght. " Gooid bye, if we nivver see yo agean !"

When we gate to th' station aw bowt two tickets, an' then we went on th' platform for th' train. As aw wor gawpin abaat, one o' th' pooarters comes up, an' he says — " Clear away from here, this is the Blackpool train! The other platform for America !"

" Who'se ta tawkin' to, leatherheead ?" aw sed. " We're gooin to Blackpool."

He let us pass, but we'd a do to get all th' stuff into th' carriage, but as luck let, ther wor varry few fowk gooin bi that train, soa ther wor nubdy to grummel, for we'd th' hoil to ussen.

Th' whistles skriked, an' th' train began to move. It hadn't gooan monny yards when Mally jumpt up, an' shoved her heead aght o' th' winder an' screeamed aght " Stop ! Stop !" an' th' fowk on th' platform coom runnin' on after us, an' th' guard gave th' signal, an' th' train wor browt to a standstill, an' hawf a duzzen pooarters coom to oppen th' door, an' they lifted her aght, an' two or three seized me bith scuft o' th' neck an' hauld me aght as if awd been a seek o' chips.

"What has he been dooin to yo, mi gooid woman ?" sed th' guard.

"A'a, dear-a-me! but this has put me into a mooild !" shoo sed, as sooin as shoo could get her breeath, but when shoo saw 'em gripin' me bi mi shirt collar wol aw wor ommost black i' th' face, shoo says — "Let him alooan its noa fault o' his this time, its mi own dooins, for aw've forgetten to tak yond curran pasty aght o' th' ovven, an' it'll be dried to a chip, yo mun stop wol aw goa up hooam an' see to it, an' awl be back in abaat five minits."

When th' chaps heeard that, they left goa o' me as if awd been a red-wut brick, an' aw crope back into th' carriage as quietly as aw could for aw felt shamed o' misen, but Mally didn't, for when they bundled her back into her seat, shoo let 'em have a bit ov her mind, an' when th' train started agean shoo turned o' me as if shoo'd worry me.

"Tha'rt a grand chap to call thisen a husband an' stand quietly by an' see thi wife mess'd an' mauld abaat like this ! But it sarves me reight for ivver commin wi thi ! Awd rayther nivver ha seen Blackpool as long as ivver aw lived, nor at yond pasty should ha been spoilt ! An' them unmannerly waistrels at th' station wodn't wait a two-o'-three minits ! But awl have a tawk to their betters when aw get hooam ! They'll nooan be particlar to five or ten minits abaat landin' us back, awl warrant 'em ! But its alius alike ! if ivver aw think 'at awl enjoy misen a bit tha alius spoils it! Aw'st be miserable nah wol aw get back !"

" Tha can hardly lig th' blame o' me this time, for tha knows awd nowt to do wi th' pasty, but aw dooant see 'at tha needs freeat, for awm sewer tha's as mich stuff i' thi basket as '11 fit us wol we come back."

"What bi that? If aw've three times as mich, that's noa reason 'at that pasty should be wasted, but awm detarmined o' one thing, — if its dried wol its as hard as a ovveri plate an' as black as th' foir back, it shall be etten befoor aw bake ohny moor !"

"Tha happen hasn't forgetten th' bottle o' cowd teah, for this bacca maks me rayther dry, an' mi throttle feels fairly made up wi yond chap's grippin me soa tight."

" It's nooan soa near made up but what tha'll be able to teem summat daan. But awm rare an fain its happened for one thing, for altho' tha's called me "owd crayter," an' "faal teawel," an' awkard names withaat end, it seems awm nooan soa flaysum when awm donn'd up but what they thowt awd proved too tycin for thee, for aw believe they fancied tha'd been tryin' to kuss me or summat." An' th' owd lass laft wol shoo fair shook agean.

Shoo gate her basket to get th' bottle aght, an' as sooin as shoo oppened th' lid shoo sed, "Well, if this doesn't lick th' doll ! What does ta think ! Aw declare, th' curran pasty's here fair at th' top ! This is awr Hepsaba's dooin ! Aw felt sewer when aw bethowt me awd left it, at shoo'd nooan ha let me come away baat it ! Shoo's a gooid lass, God be praised, but shoo's nooan as strong as aw should like to see her, yond childer drags her daan terribly. Aw dooant know whativver shoo'd to get wed for, for shoo'd plenty to ait an' drink at hooam an' gooid clooas to her back, an' a gooid bed to lig daan on at neet all to hersen."

"That wor happen th' reason, shoo happen felt looansum."

"Tak this bottle, an' stop thi maath, but dooan't sup it all ; what place is this ?"

" This is Sowerby Brig we've getten to, an' that's th' Taan Hall wi th' pepper box stuck at th' corner. We shall stop here for a couple o' minnits or soa, an aw think awl just stretch mi legs."

" Leeav me thi umbrella then, soa as aw can shove it aght o'th' winder for thi to know whear tha's left me."

"It's a varry nice Refreshment raam they've getten, an' a drop o' tidy ale they sell, but they'd sell moor if th' glasses wor a bit bigger. Awd noa time to do owt but drop mi tuppince an' sup off, for ivverybody wor runnin' to get in, an' when aw lukt for my carriage aw saw a reglar craad raand, an aw saw mi favourite owd nelly cut all sorts o' antics i'th' air, an' Mally wor shaatin' at th' top ov her voice, "Do if yo dar! Yo come nooan here, net one on yo ! This is awr booise an' we'll stick to it ?"

" Whativver's to do ?" aw sed, as aw elbowed mi way throo.

"Them ragabrash is wantin to come in, but awl smash th' umberel o' ther heeads afoor they set fooit in here ! They thowt aw wor a poor owd woman, an' they could do what they liked wi me."

"Th' guard coom up, lukkin as faal as a pail'd mule, but aw tickled his hand wi a shillin and that set him smilin', an' he sed, as nice as could be, "There's plenty of room in the other carriages, gentlemen, this lady and gentlemen wish to be alone." But it wor noa use, for wol Mally wor off her guard, they oppened th' door, an' squeezed in, an' awd hard wark to get in edgeways. Ther wor eight on em beside Mally an' me, an' what wi th' fowk an' their bundles put to us an' awrs, we wor just packt like herrins in a barrel, an' sittin' daan wor aght o'th' question, Mally wor up i' one corner lukkin' daggers at us all, but more especially me, an' aw could see her maath goin' as if shoo wor sayin' summat, but what wi th' noise o'th' train an' th' chaps laffin' aw could hear nowt, an' it wor happen as weel. Directly after, we rushed into th' tunnel, an' all wor as dark as hummer, an' they wor a bit quieter wol one chap sang aght, "awl gie onny a chap hawf a craan at'll kuss th' old woman! Then th' rumpus began, an' a chap abaat fourteen stooan weight, coom soss at top o' me, an' wedged me i'th' corner as tight as a bung in a barrel, an' ther wor sich shaatin' an' thrustin', wol aw wor feeard sumdy'd be hurt, if net killed, an' aw felt noa little anxiety abaat Mally you can bet. When we coom into th' leet ageean, th' chap's arms an' legs an' hats an' heeads an' awr bundles and theirs wor all in a lump at th' bottom o'th carriage, an' it tuk em some time to get sooarted aght, but Mally wor all reight, for shoo wor squeezed cloise to th' opposite corner wi my owd gingham i'th' front on her like a shield, tho' ha shood managed to oppen it, wor a mystery to me.

They did manage to get straightened up agean in a bit, an' put th' bundles as well aght o'th' way as they could, an' they laft wol th' sweeat rolled off em. "Aw think its time to have a bit o' bacca nah, "sed one, an' they all agreed, an' rare an' fain aw wor, for aw knew that ud quieten 'em a bit, soa aw pooled mi own pipe aght, an' prepared to have a rick or two. Ther wor sooin nine pipes in full blow. "Shut that winder!" said one, "tha knows aw connot stand a draught." "Now, noa moor can aw," sed another, soa they shut up booath winders, an' went at it like soa monny brick kilns, an i' two or three tic-tacs th' place wor soa full o' rick wol yo couldn't see a hand's breadth befoor yo. Mally put daan her umbrella, an' detarmined to bide it ; an' shoo wornt th' furst to give in nawther, for aw put my pipe aght, for aw wor ommost smoored, an' some o' tothers started coughin', but when I heeard Mally give a gooid sneeze, aw thought it wor time to interfere. " Nah, chaps," aw sed, "if yo' have onny feeling left in yo, do oppen them winders befoor somdy's suffocated ! Yo're war nor a lot o' Zulus ! Aw've oft heeard abaat th' Sowerby tups, but yo're past all reason !" Aw tried to get to th' winder, an' gave a chap a thrust — " Howd on ! maister" he shaated, " Awve getten mi fooit fast i' that woman's basket. That wor all at wor wanted to wind Mally up to th' pitch — an' th' way that umberel did execution, some o' them chaps '11 remember. — Th' winders wor sooin oppened, an' a stop put to th' smookin' for ther wor hardly a whooal pipe left, an' th' chap 'at had getten his fooit i'th' basket wor ligged ov his back, wi his heead under th' seeat, an' it tuk two on us to get him up. Mally made a grab for th' basket, but one o' tother chaps wor a bit too sharp for her, an' tuk it to tother end o'th' carriage, an' withaat as mich as sayin' if yo' pleeas, they dived their neives in, an' collared whativer they could catch. Aw thowt this wor carryin' a jooak too far, an' my blooid wor up, soa aw just dashed reight in amang em, an let em have it reight an' left, an' Mally cheered me on, shaatin', "Give it 'em, Sammy! Leather 'em, lad ! Hit 'em agean !" an' sich like, and aw did an all, but aw mud as weel o' bray'd a lot o' wooden stoops, for they did nowt but laugh, an' ram curran pasty an' sandwitches daan ther throits, wol they wellny chooked ; an' when aw sank daan exhorsted, they'd th' impidence to come an' invite Mally and me to have a bit wi' em. When th' chap went to ax Mally, shoo gave him such a luk enufF to pooisen him, an' then all at once shoo sed — "An' soa its thee is it — tha young gooidfornowt, tha ! But awl acquaint thy mother wi thy goins on, tha red-heeaded young rascal ! What does ta think o' thisen ? Aw'm in a gooid mind to braik this umbrel over thi back! But awl let thi see at tha'll ha to suffer for this ! Sammywell, doesn't ta know this young scamp ?"

"Aw think aw've seen him befoor, but aw dooan't want ivver to see him agean nor onny sich like."

" Why, this is him 'at saved yond owdest child o' Hepsaba's when it had fallen ovver th' heead i'th' swill tub ! Why, tha must know him ! He wor th' godfather for yond last o' awr Ezras. Awr

Ezra an' him'wor i'th' select class at th' Sunday Schooil,— an' yo're Abe an all," shoo sed, turnin' to him, " An' ha is yor Abe ?"

" He's i'th' corner thear, soa he raun spaik for hissen," he sed.

Soa Abe, — that wor him 'at had been set o' my stummack i'th' tunnel, — tuk off his hat, an' sed, "Awm varry weel, thank yo, Aunt Mally, ha are yo' ?"

" Awm in a gooid mind to thresh yo' booath as long as aw can bide to stand ovver yo' ! Whativver do yo' meean wi' gooin on like that wi' two old fowk like thi uncle an me. Awm feeard Sundy Schooil taichin has been thrown away on yo' "

" It wor nobbut a bit o' fun aunt ; we saw yo' didn't own us, an' soa we thowt we'd have a bit ov a marlock."

"An' tha calls shovin' thi fooit i'th' prog-basket an' then aitin th' stuff we've browt to live on, marlockin', does ta? Well, dooant marlock onny moor on th' same strength. An' whooas all theas t'other chaps."

" They're all neighbors, an' a nice lot yo'll say they are when yo' know 'em a bit better."

" Well, it will be better if aw do, for aw connot know 'em onny war. Ha' long are yo' baan to stop ?"

"We all come back to-neet, we're nobbut goin' for a day."

" Thank gooidness for that !" aw sed.

" Nay, uncle, yo' shouldn't say soa, if we'd been goin' to stop ther's nowt 'at wod gi'en us moor pleasur nor to ha' shown yo' raand."

" Happen net, but aw dooant want showin' raand for aw want to keep square, an' that's what yo' lot willn't do."

We wor sooin all gooid friends an' they browt aght ther bottles an' ther bags an' made us share wi' 'em, an' then they sed as they'd etten awr stuff they'd mak it up aght o' ther own, soa they filled Mally her basket, an' when we landed at Blackpool Station we wor all jolly as could be.

" Whear are yo' gooin to stop, Mally," sed one.

" Nay, we've nivver made no inquirements," shoo sed, "for aw reckon ther's lots '11 be willin' to have us soa long as we're able to pay, an' thi uncle an' me nivver set off withaat summat in us pockets."

" Well, aw hooap yo'll be lucky, but they tell me 'at ther's hardly a lodgin' to be getten at onny price, soa if yo're wise yo'll loise noa time."

We bid 'em gooid day, an' they went one rooad an us another.

"What does ta think abaat yond ill-mannered young monkies ?" aw sed.

" A'a, aw think nowt abaat it, they'll alter as they get older : they're nobbut childer yet. Aw dar say

SEETS I' BLACKPOOL.

tha wor a deeal war when tha wor th' same age ! They seem fine strong hearty lads, bless 'em, an' aw hooap nubdy '11 put on 'em woll they're away throo hooam."

Aw sed nowt noa moor.

CHAPTER SECOND. seekin' lodgin's an' startin' on th' spree.

" J T'S a varry nice place is Blackpool, at onnyrate," sed Mally, as we went on th' street. "Aw wonder if its market day? Ther's a

$ deeal o' fowk abaat. What has ta done wi'

( all th' bundle's an' stuff. Aw hooap they'll be all safe, for ther's all mi best duds in 'em."

" Aw've done nowt wi' th' bundles ! They're just whear tha's left 'em."

" Aw nivver left 'em ! A'a tha gaumless fooil ! Let's off back this minnit ! Nay raillee, Sammywell, tha'rt reight past bidin' wi' ! Aw wodn't loise yond stuff for Blackpool an' all ther's in it."

We hadn't getten monny yards away, soa we wor sooin back an' fun ivverything reight an' safe, an' a chap stood thear takkin care on 'em. He touched his hat an' ax'd if he should call a cab, but Mally sed, we'd noa brass for cabs, an' we should have to hug 'em. Aw didn't just like th' idea, for ther wor ommost a donkey load, but aw thowt aw wodn't have onny bother to start wi', soa aw says, "Well, just as tha pleeases," aw sed, "but tha mun gi'e this young chap a trifle, for takkin care on 'em."

"Oh, eea!" shoo sed, an' shoo pulled aght her purse an' after rummagin' it all ovver, shoo turns to me an' says, " Has ta getten a hawpny, Sammy well ?"

" Nay, lass, aw hav'nt," aw sed.

" Oh, well, it meeans nowt ; sithee here young man, here's a penny for thi, we may want thi to do a bit ov a job agean some day."

We gate looadened, — awd one bundle, teed in a shawl o' one arm, an' one 'at wor teed in a caanterpane on tother, an' a basket i'th' left hand an' mi umbrel i'th' reight, an' shoo'd abaat three bags an' one newspaper parcel, an a empty gallon stooan bottle 'at shoo'd browt to put hot watter in to air th' bed a bit, — an off we started.