THERS' A MCLE I'th' GARDEN. 75 



"It may be a chance o' war, but it 'II be a chauce o' better afoor yo 

 catch me at it agean, so gooid morning." 



When he'd gotten into tli' street lie langed to goa up to owd JIol!y*s 

 agean, but thovvts o'th' neet afoor kept him back, an' varry weel it wor 

 soa for Jim o'Long wor dooin his best to flay th' owd woman woll shoo'd 

 be glad to have him and shut up th' whisht shop, — an' be shot he managed, 

 for shoo promised shoo'd wed him in a month an' shoo wor as gooid as her 

 word. 



Jimmy settled daan to his cobbling (for he reckoned to do a bit at 

 that when he did ought) an' he worked away varry weel for a bit, an' 

 Molly took a pride i'th' garden aghtside an' th' haase inside, an' they wor 

 varry comfortable. But ther wor just an odd booan somewhere abaght 

 Jim at did'nt like wark an' I think it must ha been a wopper, for it used 

 to stop all tother every nah an then for two or three days together. — He 

 liked to goa and sit i'th' beershop ojiposite an' have a pint or two, an' Molly 

 knew it wor her bit o' brass at Avor gooin, for sho said " he hardly haddled 

 as mich sometimes as he cost i' wax." 



One day he'd been ray ther longer nor usual an' shoo Avor just ready 

 for him. 



"I thowt tha used to tell me at it wornt th' ale tha wanted, it wor me, 

 nah it is'nt me tha wants, its th' ale. 



" Why woll a chap lives he con alter his mind, connot he?' 

 " Oh ! soa tha's altered thi mind has ta? tha's noa need to tell me that 

 I can see it, and I've altered my mind too, an Ive a gooid mind to pail my 

 heead agean th' jamm when I think on it." 



''"Why lass its a pity to spoil a gooid mind, but I'st advise thi to tak 

 thi cap off for fear o' crushing it." 



"An if I did crush it, whose brass wor it at bought it I should like 

 to know? Tha's taeu moor brass across th' rooad this wick nor whatud ha 

 bought booath a cap an a bonnet, an' tha'rt staring across nah as if tha 

 langed to be gooin agean. What art ta staring at?" 



"Nay nowt, but I think ther's a mule i'th' garden" said Jim. 

 "He'd hardly getten th' words aght on his mauth when Molly seizes 

 th, besom an' Hies aght saying " Its just what yo mun expect when folk 

 come hooam hauf druffen an' leave th' gate oppen." 



"Whativer has th' owd craytm- up says Jim? shoo surely doesn't 

 think I meant ther wor a nmle ith garden? I nobbut meant ther wor a bit 

 ov a row ith hoil; but I'll niver be trusted if shoo isut hiking under th' 



