240 POEMS IN THE DORSET DIALECT. 



She .come by the down, wi' trippen walk, 



By deasies, an' sheenen banks o' chalk, 



An' brooks, where the crowvoqt flow'rs did strew 



The sky-tinted water, white on blue. 



She nodded her head, as play'd the band ; 

 She dapp'd wi' her voot, as she did stand ; 

 She danced in a reel, a-wearen new 

 A skirt wi' a jacket, white wi' blue. 



I singled her out vrom thin an' stout, 

 Vrom slender an' stout I chose her out ; 

 An' what, in the evenen, could I do, 

 But gi'e her my breast-knot, white an' blue ? 



Diary, Oct. 31, 1867. Visitando e scrivendo versi, "White and Blue." 



20. WHITE IN THE NIGHT. 



An' John, that by day is down in mill, 



As soon as the night's a-come, 

 Do goo vrom his gear a-standen still, 



In hwome, all white at the night. 



An' Jenny mid wear her white, as out 



To town she do teake her road 

 By day ; but at dusk noo mwore's about 



Abroad, in white in the night. 



Vor though at the brook the bridge is strong, 



An' white as he white can be 

 That vo'k in the dark mid not goo wrong, 



But zee his white in the night. 



An' moonlight is ev'rywhere a-shed 



Abroad, upon geate an' wall ; 

 An' down on the road that veet do tread 



Do vail so white in the night 



