oppenin it wi' his knife, but th'
lad sed--

"Howd on, aw say, that's a varry little en, aw want a reight daan big
un--th' biggest one yo' hev i'th place."

"If yo' want a reight big un," th' man sed, "aw con sewt yo' up to th'
mark," an he went behund th' stawl, an in a hawf minnit he coom back wi'
one abaat as big as a pan lid. It wor oppened, an th' fish wor liggin on
th' shell i'th center, abaat three inches across.

"Will this sewt yo'," he sed.

"That'll do," th' lad sed, "aw like a fair sized un."

He put some pepper an vinegar on it, an handed it to th' lad an sed, "Aw
dooant think yo' can manage it, sir."

He nivver spake, but tuk th' shell in his hand, an oppen'd his maath an
sukt it in. He'd to try two or three times befoor it went daan his
throit, an it nearly choakt him, but at last it went.

"Aw've done it," he sed wi' tears in his een, "Hah mich is ther to pay?"

"Nah, aw willn't mak noa charge," th' man answered, "yo've done weel, aw
didn't think yo' could ha' managed it, ther's three fowk tried at that
hoister to-neet, an a dog beside, but it lickt 'em all."

Th' lad turned away, an slipt behind a row o' stawls, an aw willn't say
onny mooar abaat what happened after.

Chairley's Coortin.

Chairley Dempster wor nobbut a little chap but he'd a varry big opinion
ov hissen. He'd consait enuff for hawf a duzzen. His mother wor a widdy
an he wor th' only child shoo'd ivver had an shoo set a deeal o' stoor
on him, an firmly believed at ther wornt another at wor fit to hold th'
cannel to him.

Noa daat this accanted for him havin sich a gooid opinion ov hissen.
They wornt varry weel to do, for when her husband deed, he'd nowt he
could leeav her except th' bit o' furnitur an th' babby.

Fowk thowt shoo'd be wed agean, but they wor mistaen. If it hadn't been
for havin Chairley happen shoo wod ha done, for shoo wor young an
strong, an varry gooidlukkin i'th bargain' an lots o' chaps wod ha thowt
thersen lucky if they could ha 'ticed her to buckle on wi 'em. But shoo
kept em all at a distance, an managed, wi weshin an cleeanin for fowk,
to mak as mich as kept her an her lad.

Shoo spoilt him, as wor to be expected, an denied hersen lots o' things
shoo badly needed to keep him weel donned, an shoo wor nivver as praad
as when shoo heeard somdy say at he lukt 'like a little gentleman.'

Shoo kept him at Schooil wol he wor fourteen, an he didn't shame his
taichers, an when he left he wor clive