Yorkshire Tales. Third Series | Page 7

an tremblin at he lifted th' sneck
when he went hooam. All lukt breet an cheerful an th' supper wor on th'
table, an Mally's face showed noa sign o' ill temper. "Thank
gooidness," he sed to hissen, "shoo hasn't been upstairs to caant th'
brass yet."
"Come thi ways to thi supper, Sammywell, aw wor gettin uneasy abaat
thi."

"Has Hepsabah been?" he axt.
"Eeah. An shoo's shown me her new hat, an aw must say aw didn't gie
thi credit for havin sich gooid taste. Shoo's famously suited, an awm
pleeased to think tha's acted as a father should act for once. Aw do
believe if tha could nobbut live long enuff aw should be able to mak a
daycent chap on thi at th' finish."
"Did shoo say owt abaght what it cost?"
"Nay shoo didn't, an aw nivver axt her, for aw know tha'd nooan be
likely to give mich; but if aw thowt aw could get one like it for owt
under five an twenty shillin awd be after one i'th mornin."
"Well, but tha connot,--for ther's nivver been but one made o' that
pattern."
"Ther'd happen be one ov another pattern to suit me."
"Ther's noa moor ov onny sooart whativver; for th' chap at keeps that
shop is gooin to retire from business to-neet an start a bank i'th
mornin,--an noa wonder."
"Onnybody'd think to listen to thi at tha didn't thoil it. Aw know ha
mich brass tha tuk wi thi an if tha's spent it all, what bi that! Tha doesn't
buy thi dowter a hat ivvery wick! an its far cheaper to buy a daycent
article nor to squander yor brass on a lot o' rubbish. Shoo's varry careful
ov her clooas is Hepsabah, an tha'll see it'll ha lasted weel bi th' time
tha gooas to buy her another."
"That's a moral sartainty. If that hat lasts her wol aw buy her another
it'll last a long time."
"Say noa moor abaat it. Tha's suited us an if tha hasn't suited thisen its
thi own fault. Aw thowt tha desarved a bit ov a treeat soa aw fotched
thi a drop o' thi favourite, an if tha doesn't want it all thisen aw dooant
mind havin a drop."

"That's all reight, Mally, an awm glad tha'rt soa thowtful, but aw connot
help thinkin tha'rt a varry inconsistent woman."
"Nah then! If tha'rt gooin to start callin me names aw willn't have a
drop!"
"Aw dooant want to call thi names, but facts are stubborn things. If aw
happen to goa an get two-penoth into mi heead tha praiches at me for a
full clockhaar abaat th' sin ov extravagance an th' blessins ov economy;
but awr Hepsabah can wear a hat at's cost as mich as aw could buy a
distillary for, an that's all reight."
"If tha bowt a distillery, Sammywell, nawther thee nor it wod last as
long as awr Hepsabah's hat, soa things are better as they are. Hand
ovver what change tha's getten i' thi pocket an then sup up an let's get
off to bed, an be thankful tha's getten a dowter to buy a hat for, an a
wife at advises thee allus for th' best."
"All reight, lass,--awm ready,--but aw connot for th' life o' me see what
awr Hepsabah's hat has to do wi young wimmen darnin ther stockins an
weshin ther shifts."
"A'a, Sammywell! Ther's a deeal o' things abaat wimmen at tha has to
leearn yet."
"Aw believe there is,--but twenty two an sixpence a lesson is a trifle
aboon my cut."

Old Dave to th' New Parson.
"Soa, yo're th' new parson, are yo? Well, awm fain to see yo've come;
Yo'll feel a trifle strange at furst, But mak yorsen at hooam.
Aw hooap yo'll think nor war o' me, If aw tell what's in mi noddle,
Remember, if we dooant agree, It's but an old man's twaddle.
But aw might happen drop a hint, 'At may start yo to thinkin; Awd help

yo if aw saw mi way, An do it too, like winkin.
Awm net mich up o' parsons,-- Ther's some daycent ens aw know;
They're smart enuff at praichin, But at practice they're too slow.
For dooin gooid nooan can deny Ther chonces are mooast ample; If
they'd give us fewer precepts, An rayther moor example.
We need a friend to help waik sheep, Oe'r life's rough ruts an
boulders;-- Ther's a big responsibility Rests on a parson's shoulders.
But oft ther labor's all in vain, Noa matter ha persistent; Becoss ther
taichin an ther lives Are hardly quite consistent.
Ther's nowt can shake ther faith in God, When bad is growing worse;
An nowt abate ther trust, unless It chonce to touch ther purse.
They