a vast o’ care off my mind to think that he could get about and go down to ‘The Craven Heifer’ for his forenoon drinkings, same as he’d allus done sin first I came into Wharfedale as Mike’s bride.  And when back-end set in and we’d salved the sheep wi’ butter and tar to keep the winter rain out on ’em, still Owd Jerry kept wick and cobby, and there were days, aye, and weeks too, when I forgot what I’d done on Ash-Riddling Day.  And when I thought about it, it didn’t flay me like it used to do; for I said to misen, ’I’ll keep Owd Jerry alive ovver next St Mark’s Day, choose how.’  So I knitted him a muffler for his throat and lined his weskit wi’ flannen; I brewed him hot drinks made out o’ herbs I’d gethered i’ the hedgerows i’ summertime, and rubbed his chest wi’ a mixture o’ saim frae the pig-killing, and honey frae the bee-skeps.  Eh! mon, but it were gey hard to get the owd man to sup the herb tea and to let me rub him.  He reckoned I wanted to puzzum him same as if he were a ratton, and when I’d putten the saim and honey on his chest he said I’d lapped him up i’ fly-papers.  But I set no count on his nattering so long as I could keep him alive.

“Chrissamas came at last, and New Year set in wi’ frost and snow.  The grouse came down frae the moors and the rabbits fair played Hamlet about the farms:  they were that pined wi’ hunger, they began to eat the bark off the ashes and thorn bushes i’ the hedges.  I did all I could to keep Owd Jerry frae the public-house while the storm lasted, but he would toddle down ivery morning for his glass o’ yal, and, of course, he got his hoast back agean i’ his thropple.  All the same, I wouldn’t give in.  I counted the days while St Mark’s Day, and tewed and rived and better rived to keep him out o’ his coffin.  But it was weary wark, and I got no thanks frae Jerry for all I was doing for him.

“At lang length St Mark’s Eve came round, and a wild day it was, and no mistake.  There had been deep snow on the moors two days afore, and after the snow had come rain.  It was a bad lambing time, and Mike and Amos were about the farm all day and most o’ the neet, looking after the lambs that had lossen their yowes.  Owd Jerry had threaped shameful the day afore; the weather had been that bad he’d not been able to go down to ‘The Craven Heifer.’

“When I’d gotten out o’ bed, and looked out o’ the windey it were still lashing wi’ rain, and I said to misen, I’ll keep Jerry i’ bed to-day.  If I can keep him alive to-day I sal have won, and Jerry can do what he likes wi’ hissen to-morrow.  So I hugged up his breakfast to his chamer and told him I’d leet a fire for him there, and I’d get Harry Spink to come and sit wi’ him and keep him company.  But Jerry wouldn’t bide i’ bed, not for nobody; he’d set his mind on going down to the public, and a wilful man mun have his way, choose what fowks say.  So off he set, wi’ the rain teeming down all the time, and the beck getting higher and higher wi’ the spate.