a! Why, what's th' matter wi' him, is he badly?"

"He is; for he hurt his leg a month or two sin', an' he's had to goa to
th' infirmary to get it anticipated."

"Why, whativer's that, Susy?"

"To get it cut off, yo' know. But aw munnot stop, soa, gooid day."

An away Susy flew daan th' ginnel, famously suited wi' th' way shoo'd
capt 'em wi' her scholarship.

"Well, if iver aw saw sich a flybysky as yond Susy i' all my life, aw'll
niver be trusted. Guy, hang it! shoo mud be as handsome as wax work,
shoo thinks soa mich ov her' sen! But aw fancy shoo'll ha' to dee an owd
maid, for its nooan her sooarts 'at fellies wants. It's all varry weel
to sit nigglin' away wi' a needle an' threed, stickin' bits o' poasies
into cap screeds, an' stich in' mooinshine, but when a chap wants a
wife, he wants somdy 'at con brew, an' bake, an' scaar th' floor. Why,
aw could whip raand hauf a duzzen sich like to my thinkin'! An' when aw
see her screwin' up her maath an' dutchin, an' settin' her cap at ivery
chap shoo sees, it maks mi blooid fair boil in me; an' awm sure, if ther
is a young chap abaght, shoo's wor nor a worm ov a whoot bakstull. Odd
drott it! it caps me 'at fowk should have noa moor sense nor ax sich
like to a party. But ha are ta off for clooas Zantippa? Con ta leean me
a under coit? Aw've all else ready."

"Nay lass, aw connot; for th' last doo 'at aw wor at aw had to borrow
one o' Susy. Aw've getten one nah, but aw'st want it.'

"Aw wonder if Susy 'ud leean it me," said Betty, "Aw hardly like to ax
her, for tha sees aw didn't give her the job o' makin' yond cap Tha's
seen mi new cap, hasn't ta?"

"Eea! aw saw thi have it on t'other day."

"Well, it's what aw call a nobby un; but awd better net waste ony time,
soa aw'll goa an' see if Susy 'll leean me yond coit. Shoo can nobbut
say noa." An' away went Betty.

'An' it's to be hooapt shoo will say' Noa, 'for if tha gets it, shoo'll
ha' to luk sharp if iver shoo sees th' edge on it agean,' said Zantippa
"Aw'd leean thee nowt unless awd made up mi mind to pairt wi' it. Aw
dooan't mak' mich o' Susy, but shoo's worth a barrow-looad sich like as
thee. Bith heart! tha'd ma' a daycent looad for a barrow thisen! An' if
all's true aw've heeard, it's nut long sin' tha' wor one, an' had a
bobby for a cooachman. But that's nowt ta me He! gow! it's turned o'
twelve o'clock, an' my chap an' th' childer ul be here to ther dinner!
Consarn it! Aw hate to live amang a lot o' gossip