“An’ tha’d ha’ etten th’ cubbord too, if it had been pie!  Come stir thi!”

Chapter II.

A few wicks passed by, an’ Angelina couldn’t find aght what became ov her son-i’-law’s five shillin’s, an’ tho’ shoo kept een an’ ears wide oppen to catch a whisper agean him, shoo saw, nor heeard newt.  But her mind wor ill at ease, for shoo’d managed to convince hersen ’at ther wor summat nooan reight, an’ becoss shoo couldn’t find owt shoo put it daan to his decait, an’ shoo generally finished up wi’ sayin’ ’at her dowter wor a fooil an’ Bob wor a deep ‘en.  At last th’ mystery had to be unveiled an’ her mind set at rest.

One neet a little lass knock’d at th’ door, an’ sed ’at Emma had sent her to tell her an’ Isaac to go a to see her as sooin as ivver they could.

“Nah then!  What did aw tell thi?  It’s come at last, an’ aw knew it wad I But if he’s raised a finger o’ his to hurt a hair ov her heead aw’l fotch law on him if aw have to sell up dish an’ spooin! put this stickin’ plaister i’ thi pocket, an’ theas cammomile flaars, an’ poppy heeads, an’ let’s be off this minit!”

“What’s th’ stickin’ plaister an’ all this stuff for?”. sed Isaac.

“Tha’ll see what it’s for sooin enuff!  A’a, aw wish sometimes aw’d flivver been born!  It’s a bonny come off to bring childer into th’ world an’ keep’ em an’ luk after’ em till they grow up to be treated war nor dogs!”

Isaac shov’d th’ stuff into his pockets an’ wor off after her as sooin as he could, for shoo’d stirred him up a bit, an’ he gript his walkin’ stick an’ pooled his hat ovver his een as mich as to say he thowt it high time to let fowk know what they wor abaat.  As sooin as they gate i’th’ seet o’th’ haase he sed, “Ther’s noa fowk abaat that’s one blessin’; if ther’s been a row they must ha’ been varry quite abaat it.”

“Shoo’d niver utter a word if shoo wor to be riven i’ bits, shoo’s too mich like me for that, A’a, aw little thowt aw should ivver have to come o’ sich o’ eearand as this!”

They didn’t stop to knock, but oppen’d th’ door, an’ thear they saw Bob an’ Emma sittin’ at th’ teah-table lukkin’ as cheerful an’ as happy as could be.

“Come in, booath on yo’,” sed Emma, “Yo’r just i’ time for a cup o’ teah.  We didn’t expect yo’ quite as sooin, but yo’r allus welcome.”

“Why yond lass tha sent coom wi’ sich a tale wol we wor sewer ther’ munt be summat serious to do, an’ we started off withaat wastin’ a minit.”

“Aw’m glad yo’ve com’d,” sed Bob, “We’ve getten summat to show yo’, but yo’ mun have a cup o’ teah furst.”

“What have aw to do wi’ all this stickin’ plaister an’ stuff?” sed Isaac.

“Can’t ta keep it i’ thi pocket an’ say nowt apaat it, softheead!  Tha wants a piece on it across thi macth.”

“Whativver made yo’ bring stickin’ plaister, mother, yo’ sewerly didn’t think ther’d been ony feightin’?”