[North Wilts: Clyffe Pypard.]
'Lawk aw! if 'tean't Thomas! and how be you? I han't seen 'ee fur a
lenth o' time.--An' they tells I as you've a got a new missis agean!
That's the vowerth, yun it?'
'Ees, I 'spose te-uz. Thur, didden sim right 'snaw wi'out a 'ooman
down thur, 'tes sich a girt gabborn place thuck wold house. Do zim
zart o' unkid to bide thur by yerself. 'Tes so lonesome, perticler
night-times. Thur yun't narra naighber aniest 'ee, an' if a body wur
ill ur anythin' o' that, 'tud be just about a job 'snaw.'
'An' do the new missis shoot 'ee main well?'
'Aw thur, I ban't got nothen to zaay agen th' 'ooman. Th' 'ooman's
wull enough as fur as I knaaws on. Her's a decent staid body 'snaw.
'Tean't likely as I wur a gwain to hae no hans wi' none o' they
giglettin' wenchen--they got so many 'oonderments to 'em when they be
so young.'
'An' 'cordin' as I da hire tell on't her've a got a bit o' money
saved, haven' her?'
'O' course her got summat 'snaw, but Lor' bless 'ee! tean't nothen
near as much as vawk says for.'
'Wull, 'tean't no odds to I, but they was a zaayin' up at public as
aal your wives had zummut when they come to you; an' they did zaay as
you must ha' made a main good thing out on't wi' one an' tother on
em!'
'What good is it to hearken to they? I tell 'ee what 'tes--What wi'
bringin' on 'em in an' carr'n on 'em out, 'tean't but _vurry_ leetle
profit to't!'