“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’ gossippin’ fowk sich as ther is abaght here, noabody con get to do owt.  Be hanged, if th’ fire isn’t aght! an’ aw expect it’ll tak’ me as long ageean to leet it, coss a’wm in a hurry.  There’s niver nowt done reight when a body’s in a fullock.  Aw wish ther tea drinkins wor far enuff.  Aw’d rayther sail across th’ salt seea nor be put i’ sich a mooild as this.  Yond’s th’ bell!  An’ they’ll be here in a minnit!  A’a dear!  A woman’s wark is niver done!”

“Aw think it niver is done, bi’th luk on it!” said Dick, as he stept into th’ haase.  “Ha’ is it thers noa dinner ready?  It’s as ill as th’ weshin’ day, or else war!”

“Dinner! tha may weel ax abaght th’ dinner,” said Zantippa, “doesn’t ta see ‘at th’ place is ful o’ reik?  Aw dooan’t know what tha means to do, but if we connot have that chimley altered aw know one ’ats baan to flit.”

“Why, aw niver knew it smook’d afoor; but this fire’s nobbut just lit.”

“What’s ta been dooin’ baght fire?”

“Fire? does ta want me to be smoord?  It’s grand for yo’ ’at con walk aght to yo’re wark as sooin as yo’ get up, an’ just come in to yo’re meals an’ aght ageean, but yo’ niver think o’ what’s to come o’ me ’ats ta tew amang it throo morn ta neet.”

“Why lass, ha’ is it ’at it niver smooks ov a Sunday?”

“Ha con I tell? tha mun ax it!  Can’t one o’ yo’ childer get th’ bellus an’ blow a bit, or are yo’ baan to stand thear wi’ yo’re fingers i’ yo’re maath woll aw fair drop?  But it’ll nut allus be soa, yo’ll get me ligg’d low some day, an’ then yo’ll have ta shift for yoursen.”

After a gooid deal o’ botherin’ an’ grummelin’, an’ a varry deal o’ wangin’ th’ cubbord doors, an’ clatterin’ th’ pots abaght, Zantippa managed to mak’ a sup o’ coffee an’ butter a bit o’ bread.  Dick didn’t like this, but as he saw his wife wor th’ wrang side aght, he thowt, for th’ sake o’ peace, he’d say nowt; soa he swallow’d his coffee an’ cake (if nut wi’ thankfulness, at least i’ quietness), an’ then him an’ th’ childer budged off.