6 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



Dick Gibbs, the stableman, was ever after Mary, 

 and it was he who disturbed the talk by bustling in 

 and saying : " The missus be a-calling J ee, Mary." 

 Instead of hurrying off she turned towards Gibbs 

 and said : " Now why doan't 'ee make yer quarrels 

 up and shake hands ? " Pavey held his out but it 

 was not accepted. Gibbs said, sullenly : "I be 

 washed to drive the maaster into town. Will 'ee 

 go, Phillie?" I loved driving with my father to 

 town, as that meant sweets, and sometimes tops and 

 marbles ; but I refused to go. Gibbs seemed to 

 divine my reason for he replied : "I'd bide wi 'un 

 altogether if I be you and Mary." " What's put 

 'ee out so, lad ; baint 'ee well ? " was Pavey's kindly 

 question. But Mary spoilt its purpose with the 

 remark : ' ' I vear he've overwashed hisself and 

 z wallowed the zoap." 



This proved too much for the man's quick temper, 

 and he retorted : " Better be overwashed and 

 zwallow the zoap than be a dirty tooad like some 

 folks that stinks o' zoot." 



I often saw Pavey after that, but I did not know 

 his purpose in coming our way in such fine clothes 

 until I heard Gibbs say to Mary : 



"I'll go for a soldier or drown myself if you 

 marry that dirty sweep. But I'll kill that blacka- 

 moor vust, that I will." 



"'Ess sure you will," said Mary, "but do it vitty, 

 doan't be bungling at sich a job. Go 'list and be a 

 soger, larn the business, and come back and kill un 

 properly." 



These awful threats did not keep the sweep 

 away ; indeed, if he heard of them, they multiplied 

 his visits until the day he married our dairymaid 



