gien up th' trade
nah, or else aw wodn't let yo into th' saycret. This is th' way he used
to do. Th' cooachman or th' buttler throo Some hall wod come to tell Sam
'at he wor wanted as sooin as ivver he could spare time, to goa up to
th' hall to catch a rat 'at one oth sarvents had seen ith pantry, for
they wor all soa freetened 'at they darn't goa in.

Sam wod promise to be up directly, an he'd put a net into his coit
pocket, an a two-o-three breead crumbs in a bit o' paper, an a rat,
ommost as big as a kittlin, but withaat a tooith in its heead, into his
inside brast pocket, an then he'd set off. When he gate thear all th'
sarvent lasses ud cluther raand him an tell him whear th' rat had been
seen an all particulars. "Well, they're a nasty thing to have abaat a
haase, an a varry dangerous thing; but awl do mi best to catch it if
yo'll give me a sup o' ale if yo have it, an if net, pooarter'll do. Aw
want it to mix up summat to tice it aght." They seldom browt less nor a
quairt, an after takkin abaat a thimbleful to mix up his breead crumbs,
he swallow'd t'other for fear on it bein wasted. Then he'd tak a cannel
an goa to whear th' rat had been last seen, an all th' lasses followin
at a distance. After puttin his bait on th' floor an th' cannel ith far
corner, he'd begin chirpin an huntin under th' barrels an all abaat to
see if ther wor a rat, but as he seldom fan one, when he thowt he'd
carried it on long enuff, he'd set up a gurt shaat, "It's here! it's
here!" an pawse th' cannel ovver with his fooit, an as they couldn't
tell where it might be they all flew off skrikin, leavin' Sam to quietly
pool his "owd forrester," as he called him, aght ov his pocket an lap it
up ith net an come aght holdin' it at arms' length. Then away went th'
haasekeeper to tell th' mistress, an th' mistress to tell th' maister,
an in a varry few minits ivverybody abaat th' place wor ith kitchen,
standin in a ring wi Sam an th' rat ith middle. Sam wor a hero just
then, but to luk at his face yo'd fancy he hadn't sense enuff to know
it. Ov coorse ther wor nowt to gooid for Sam after that, an he'd allus
as mich to ait an drink as he could tuck into him an a hauf-a-craan
beside. Aw dooant know hah monny times he catched that rat, but aw do
know 'at he catched it three times i' one haase, an he tell'd me he made
as mich brass on it as monnya chap could mak wi a horse an cart. He'd a
deeal more queer tricks, but as he gate older he gave it up, for