Shortly after Jackey came a-courting, one Sunday afternoon, his
sweetheart placed on the board all she required for making a heavy
cake. Last thing, before mixing flour and cream, she took a hearty
pinch of snuff and wiped her fingers on her “touser.” Whilst making the
cake, she said to Jackey, “thee hast been courtan me now for years, off
and on, and always promised thee west marry me soon; now west a marry
me before Christmas?” Whilst the woman was talking and working up the
cake, Jackey noticed a snuffy drop quivering on the tip of her nose.
“Can’t tell thee yet,” Jackey replied, “es accordan how a may drop.” An
instant after he stamped away to the door, and turning round, called
out, “No! I’ll neither marry thee before Christmas nor after, nor eat
any more cakes of thy makean.” How it dropped was made plain enough by
Jackey’s behaviour.