When Grimes coom in he wor lukkin varry glumpy.

“Come thi ways, an get theas muffins wol they’re hot,—­they’re fresh off th’ beckstun an that butter’s come reight off th’ farm an its as sweet as a nut.”

Sammywell sed nowt, but as th’ teah began to warm him an th’ muffins wor just to his likin his face seemed to clear a bit, an when shoo handed him his second cup, he wink’d at her, (he couldn’t help it.) “This is a drop o’ gooid teah, lass, an aw think aw nivver had grander muffins.”

“Aw’ve tried to suit thi.  Has ta fed that galloway an left it comfortable for th’ neet?”

“As comfortable as it desarves!  But aw did’nt know ’at a whiteweshed umberella-stand wanted makkin comfortable.”

“Aw know its all reight for tha hasn’t a heart i’ thi belly to hurt a flee.  What time does ta intend to start off i’th mornin.”

“Mak thi own time.  But aw thowt tha didn’t care to goa.”

“It’s what aw’ve been langin for for years, an tha knows, Sammywell, if aw do say a word nah an agean at doesn’t just suit thi, its becoss tha aggravates me.  If tha’d treeat me as a wife owt to be treated, aw should nivver utter a wrang word.”

“Well, tha artn’t th’ only one i’ this haase at gets aggravated sometimes, but we’ll say noa moor abaat it.  Try an bi ready bi ten o’clock i’th mornin, an we’ll start aght if its fine.”

“But tha doesn’t feel cross abaat it, does ta lad.”

“Cross, behanged!  If aw tuk onny nooatice o’ what tha says, aw should allus be cross.  Let’s get to bed.”

------------

Next mornin Mally wor soa flustered wol when Grimes coom in to his braikfast after lukkin to th’ galloway, her hands tremmeld soa at shoo could hardly teem aght his teah.

But shoo managed to get donned at last, an Sammywell browt th’ galloway an th’ little trap to th’ door, an he felt a bit narvous too, for it wor th’ furst time he’d ivver driven aght wi his wife, but he wor praad to do it, an his pride kept him up.

They wor i’ hooaps o’ gettin off withaat Hepsabah an th’ naybors gettin to know, but it wor noa use.  Sombd’y seen th’ galloway, an when Sammywell helpt Mally into her seat, they wor all aght.

Hepsabah stood thear, wi a babby o’ awther arm, an Jerrymier at her side, an as they rode past, shoo put on as humble a luk as shoo knew ha, an dropt a curtsey, an sed “Gooid mornin, Mr. and Mrs. Grimes, Esquire.”  Then shoo brast aght laffin an all th’ naybor wimmen waved ther approns or towels or owt else they could snatch howd on, an cheered em wol they gate aght o’th bottom o’th fold.

They tuk th’ shortest cut to get aght o’th busy streets, an they worn’t long befoor they coom to whear ther wor green fields on booath sides o’th rooad.  It wor a grand day, an they sed little for a while, for they wor booath feelin varry happy, an they lukt it.

Old as they wor, an i’ spite ov all th’ ups an daans they’d had, they felt like sweethearts agean, an if they couldn’t luk forrad to th’ long enjoyment ov monny pleasures, they could luk back wi few regrets, an hearts full ov thankfulness for all th’ blessins they’d had an possessed.