Sammywell thowt th’ less he sed an th’ better, an he went at once to do as he wor tell’d.  He wor as anxious to get away as shoo wor to be shut on him, an as he wor gooin aght, Mally sed,—­

“Whear are ta gooin an what are ta gooin to do?”

“Awm gooin to a funeral befoor tha sees me agean.”

“Aw didn’t know onnybody wor deead.  Who’s funeral will it be?”

“Parker’s.”

Hepsabah’s Hat.

“Some fowk are nivver satisfied!  Aw’ve noa patience wi’ sich like!  Th’ moor some fowk have an th’ moor they want.  Ther wor noa sich stinkin pride when aw wor young; but young folk nah dooant know what ails em.  When aw wor a lass it wor thowt to be quite enuff if one wor plainly an respectably donned, an if they had onny pride, it wor to know at ther underclooas wor cleean an sweet an fit to be seen, but nah it’s all top finery an fluff they think abaat; but if they’d darn ther stockins an wesh ther shifts a bit ofter, asteead o’ wantin to spooart new gaons an hats ivvery few days it ud seem em better.  At onnyrate, them’s my sentiments.”

“Why, Mally lass, what’s set thi off agean?  Has somdy been sayin at tha doesn’t darn thi stockins an keep thi clooas cleean?”

“Noa ther hasn’t, an tha knows nubdy could ivver say such a thing abaat me.  It’s awr Hepsabah at’s started me, if tha wants to know!”

“What’s shoo been up to agean?  Sewerly tha’s moor sense not to tak nooatice o’ owt shoo says.”

“Aw connot help bein worritted when shoo’s put abaght, an shoo’s full o’ trubble,—­an aw connot say at aw wonder at it.”

“Why if th’ lass is full o’ trubble shoo’s to be sympathised wi.  Has her husband come hooam druffen or what?”

“Tha knows better nor that!  Her husband has summat else to do wi his brass nor to teem it daan his throit.  He’s net like some fowk as aw could mention.  But tha knows they’ve hard to scrat to pay ther way an keep up his club, an awr Hepsabah has a gooid deeal o’ pride, an yond hat o’ hers is hardly fit to be seen in at warty, nivver name Sundy, an shoo connot affoord another, an th’ poor child’s ommost heartbrokken.”

“Bless mi life!  That’s easy to set straight!  Connot ta lend her one o’ thy bonnets?”

“Tha artn’t worth tawkin to!  Does ta think a young lass, (for shoo’s little moor,) wod goa to th’ chapel in an old woman’s bonnet?  If shoo’d had lot’s o’ father’s they’d ha bowt her one.”

“Happen soa;—­but tha sees shoo hasn’t a lot o’ father’s,—­shoo’s nobbut getten me,—­but if buyin her a bit ov a bonnet will set matters straight aw could sewerly manage that.”

“Nah tha’rt tawkin sense.  Aw tell’d her if shoo’d nobbut ax thi tha’d nooan see her kept i’th haase for th’ want ov a hat.  But shoo sed tha’d allus been soa gooid to her at shoo couldn’t for shame to mention it.  But, tha knows, tha cannot buy her a hat unless shoo gooas wi thi.”

“W ell,—­tell her to put her things on an we’ll goa an get her messured for one at once.”