74 THERS' A MULE i'TH' GARDEN. 



own mother conld'nt ha' owned him. 



"Dooant yo know who I am ' he sputtered aght, "I'm Slinger yo 

 know me." 



'•Bith mass it is Slinger" said Jim, — its noabdy else," whativer has 

 ta been dooin to get into a mess like this ? Tha may thank thy stars 

 tha worn't burnt to th' death.' 



" Well I dooant know 'at it means mich whether a chaps burnt or 

 draand, but awther on 'em befoor being smothered, — did iver ony bodj' 

 see sich a seet as I am ?" 



"Why tha luks like a sheep heead wi brain sauce tem'dover itsaidone.' 



"He need'nt carry a scent bottle wi' him, they'll be able to smell him 

 withaat" said another. 



"Ha shall I have to get clean" says Slinger. "I cant goa hooam 

 this pietur?" 



"Tha'll have to get somdy to scrape thi daan, unless tha thinks tha's 

 getten enuff o'th' scrape tha'rt in already ; — but I think tha'd better goa 

 hooam to th' wife an' tell her tha's comed." 



"He's noa need to do that, if shoo's ought of a uooas shoo'l! find it 

 aght." 



"Well if this is what comes o' being a boliby I'll drop it, but for 

 goodness sake lads, niver split for I'st niver hear th' last o' this do.'' 



At last they persuaded Slinger to goa hooam, what he said to th'wife 

 or what shoo said to him folk niver knew, but certain it is 'at Khoo went 

 an' left him an' lived wi her mother for aboon a Avick at after. 



When he turned aght next morning to goa see th'superintendaut, he 

 luked like a gate pooast ats studden in a rookery for .six months. He'd 

 to wait a bit nfoor he coulri see him, but when he did he said "Maistcr!" 

 I've comed to get turned off for I'm sick o'this job — noa moor constubling 

 for me, Ive had enuff." 



'Why my gooid man" he said "whats up? Have yo dropt in for 

 summat yo dooant like?" 



"I have, — an' sinnmats been dropt onto me'' at I dooant like, an' I've 

 made up my mind to throw up th' drumsticks an' tak to honest hard wark 

 for a living." • 



"Well young man, yo seem dissatisfied, but yo should remember 'at 

 we're like soldiers in a war. Ave're feighting agean things 'at isn't reight, 

 its nut alius straight forrard, it seems yours has'nt been this time, but 

 its one o'th chances o'war 'at yo mun expect." 



