“Nay, lass, aw dooant like to see thee tewin like this an me dooin nowt, let’s help thi a bit.”

“It’s little aw’ll gie for sich help as thine!  If tha comes here to reckon to help me, tha’ll want payin for it twice ovver.”

“Why, Mally love, if tha’ll gie me a kuss aw’ll turn th’ wringin machine for thi wol tha’s done.”

“Sammywell,—­aw want thee to luk me straight i’th face an tell me what tha’s had to sup this mornin an whear tha’s getten it?”

“Aw’ve had nowt but that drop o’ teah tha browt up stairs.”

“Well, aw dooant want to say tha’rt a stooary teller, but aw can think what aw like.”

“Nah, Mally love——­”

“Ger aght o’ this hoil, gurt softheead!  If tha comes near me wi onny o’ thi ‘Mally loves,’ aw’ll throw this bucket o’ watter ovver thi!  Tha’rt a fooil thisen an tha thinks awm one, but tha’ll find thisen mistaen.  After been called ‘Old Towel’ an ‘Blow Broth’ an ‘Old Nivversweeat,’ to say nowt abaat names at awd be ashamed to mention—­it’s rayther too lat i’th day to try an come ovver me wi thi ‘Mally loves.’”

“But awm baan to reform, awm net gooin to call thi sich names onny moor, an if tha’ll nobbut let me help thi, Mally love——­”

“Aw’ll gie thi ‘Mally love!’ Aw suppooas tha thinks aw havn’t enuff to do, soa tha mun come here to aggravate an hinder me all tha can!”

“Tha shouldn’t ha claated me across th’ chops wi that weet hippen,—­that’s noa way to help a chap’s reformation.”

“Aw’ll hit thi wi summat harder nor that if tha doesn’t put on thi hat an ger aght.  It’s noa use thee tawkin’ to me abaat reformin’, for it’s too lat on i’th day.  If it wor possible to mak thi into a daycent chap ther’s nubdy’d know thi.  Even little Jerrymier coom in tother day to ax for thi becoss he wanted to goa for a walk, an when aw tell’d him tha wor up stairs, he sed, ‘Is mi grondad reight in his heead to-day?’ Even he knows thi!”

“Aw’ve done wi Jerrymier for ivver an aw hooap tha’ll nivver mention his name agean in a haase o’ mine.”

“This haase is mine as it happens, an awst nivver ax thee whose name aw’ve to mention.  A’a! awd be ashamed o’ misen if aw wor like thee, comin an makkin a bother like this th’ furst thing in a mornin.”

“Aw didn’t want to mak onny bother,—­aw wanted to help thi, Mally love, but——­”

“Ger aght o’ this hoil or’ aw’ll mash th’ peggy ovver thi heead!  Tha gurt maddlin!  Tak this shillin an goa an see if tha can mak thisen a bigger fooil nor tha art!”

“Well, aw’ll tak it, tho’ aw had meant to help thi a bit, but it seems tha’rt too thrang to help a chap wi his reformation.  Gooid bye, Mally love, an——­” But he just managed so slip aght o’th door i’ time to miss th’ foir shool at shoo flung at his heead.

“Aw’ll put off reformin an tryin to act like aw used to do; for aw get noa encouragement.  Its noa use tryin to suit a woman for it cannot be done.  Aw see nowt for it but to goa on i’th same old way, an after all, old fowk can nivver be young agean.  Well, ther’s one comfort,—­shoo’s gein me a shillin.  Vartue is its own reward.”