But when they’d getten sattled, Maude Blanche, (that wor th’ sister’s name,) coom to pay em a visit.  Nah, Maude Blanche wor just as fond o’ fun as James wor feeared on it, an shoo kept jabbin him between th’ ribs, an sayin all sooarts o’ queer things, an axin him questions ’at he couldn’t answer an he blushed until Angelina had to tell her to stop, for fear all his blooid wod be in his heead.

Well, they went to bed.  James an his wife i’ one raam and Maude Blanche i’th next.  James wor sooin i’th land o’ nod, an Angelina felt disgusted when shoo heeard him snoorin an turned raand an followed his example.

Ha long they had slept they didn’t know, but Angelina oppen’d her e’en, an what should shoo see, but th’ drawers oppen, an all th’ stuff scattered raand.  Shoo gave a skrike, an jam’d her elbow between James’s ribs wi’ sich a foorce ‘at he fell on th’ floor like a log o’ wood.

“Murder! police! thieves!” shoo skriked.  “A’a, dear! what ivver shall we do! drive ’em aght!”

“Angelina, aw cannot do it!  It’s impossible!” an he stood shivverin an shakin and tryin to lap his legs up in his shirt tail.

“Aw’ve been robbed!  That solid goold brooch aw gave fifteen pence for is missin, an all mi hair pins an a bobbin o’ black threead, and gooidness knows what else!  Maude Blanche! come here!  Maude Blanche! does ta hear?”

“Gooid gracious! tha arn’t callin thi sister in here an me i’ this state!” sed James, an he dived under th’ bed.

“Maude Blanche! do come!  Th’ hasse is full o’ robbers!”

“For God’s sake, Angelina, dunnot let her come in here till awm donned.  Aw’ve nowt on but mi shirt, and if shoo comes an sees me aw shall faint reight off.”

“Shirt be hanged! what does it matter if shoo sees it! shoo’ll have it to wesh next wick!  Tha owt to be ‘shamed o’ thisen!”

“Aw am, an aw’st be moor soa if shoo comes in.  Does ta know aw’ve noa stockins on, an mi britches is hung ovver th’ bed fooit; an this shirt is a quarter ov a yard to short!  Dunnot let her come in whativver tha does!”

Just then th’ door oppened, an a smilin face peep’d in.

“What’s to do?” axt Maude Blanche.

“We’ve been robbed! an that softheead is caarin under th’ bed asteead o’ runnin after th’ robbers!”

“Turn her aght, Angelina!  If tha doesn’t aw shall sink throo th’ floor.  Gie me mi britches if tha’ll do nowt else, an then aw’ll see what aw can do.  Maude Blanche!  If tha hasn’t forgetten all tha’s ivver been towt at th’ Sundy schooil, get aght o’ this hoil as sharp as tha can!  If tha doesn’t tha’ll see what tha’ll be sorry for as long as tha lives, for aw cannot stand it!”

Angelina wor soa upset ’at shoo hardly knew what shoo wor dooin, but shoo pitched James’s britches under th’ bed, and Maude Blanche wor laffin wol shoo had to rest ageean th’ bed fooit to steady hersen.

James tried to put on his britches, but it wor noa easy matter, but in a bit he did get his legs into ’em, altho’ they wor th’ wrang side before, an then he crept aght, moor deead nor alive, an a deeal war freetened wi’ Maude Blanche nor he wor abaat th’ robbers.