ailin, an had getten her
umberel up agean.

"It wor a nelly tumblin daan like that at did for me," says he, "but aw
see yor maized, soa aw'll tell yo all abaat it;" soa he sat daan on th'
seat beside me, an' he began.

"When aw furst coom a workin to Bradforth, abaat three year sin, aw
lodged wi' a young feller 'at lived i' Otley Road--we slept i'th same
room; an' one Sundy mornin as we wor dressin, aw sed to him, 'at aw wor
flayed aw should have to buy a new pair o' Sundy britches, for them aw
hed getten wor wore varry shabby.

"'Aw'll sell yo a pair,' he sed; an' he pulled a pair aght ov a box, 'aw
bowt em off th' pegs, an' gave fifteen bob for em, noa mooar nor a year
sin--but aw nivver liked em--aw wor em when mi sister wor wed, an when
aw went to Blackpool for a wick last July, an' that's all, yo shall have
em for eight bob, an it's a bargain sich as yo willn't get ivvery day.'

"They wor reeal smart traasers, an' to mak a long stooary short, aw bowt
em; an' that evenin, aw wor gooin aght a walkin wi' a lass 'at aw knew,
soa aw wore em to luk smart like. Aw wor thinner then than aw am nah,
for aw've filled aght a bit sin aw wor wed; but this chap 'at aw bowt em
off, wor hawf as fat agean as aw wor, a reglar porker, fit for killin;
an' when aw coom to put th' britches on, aw fun aght, 'at they wor ivver
soa mich to wide for me raand th' waist--that worn't th' warst o' it,
for aw fun aght also 'at fower aght o'th six gallus buttons wor off--but
aw hadn't time to sew onnymooar on, soa wi' a bit a bother aw made em
do.

"Well, aw set off wi' th' new traasers on--it's trew 'at they wor
hitched up that high 'at aw worn't a bit comfortable, an' ther wor as
mich room in em as wod nearly have done for two like me, but as me tail
coit hid it aw didn't mind that, an' aw felt a reeal swell, aw can tell
yo, for they wor th' leetest coloured pair 'at ivver awd ivver had i' my
life. Amy wor waitin o' me, an' we walked daan here to Peel's Park, an'
sat on this varry seeat."

"Awm gettin varry interested," Mary sed, when he stopt to leet his pipe
'at had gooan aght, "goa on wi' yor tale."

He puffed away for a minnit, an then went on:--"Someha or other Amy's
nelly slipt in between th' railins like yor's did a bit sin, an aw wor
ovver th' fence after it like a shot,--but when aw wor climbin up agean,
my golly, if one o'th two remainin buttons didn't snap cleean off, aw
think th' thread mun ha' been as rotten as apples,--luck