THIRD DAY. 73 



Simon. Haw, about's zlippin back, zur? 

 Why young Joe went to school wi owld 

 Tommy Stretch, zo one day a never coomed 

 till amwoast night. What 's th' razon you 

 be here at this time ? zays Tommy. Joe 

 hackered wi' vear 'Begs yer pardon, zays 

 he, 'twas zo uncommon zlippy, ev'ry step 

 I tuk vorrad I went two backerds. Ye 

 young wosbird, zays Tommy, if ye'd done 

 that, ye woudn't be here at all, zo I '11 

 gie "t to 'e unmarcivul that 's what I wool 

 vor tellin zich lies. Oh dwont 'e ! dwont 'e ! 

 zays Joey : I '11 tell 'e how 'twere. I gied 

 up gettin here at all, zo I turned back to 

 gwo to mother's and I zlipped back here, 

 so dwont 'e wallop I. Did 'e ever hear 

 the stwory o' Joe's vather on th' bridge 

 yander ? A rum owld customer was owld 

 Joe. 



S. Well, tell us the story, Simon. 



Simon. Why one marnin, many years 

 ago, owld Joe was lukin' auver the bridge, 



