round at the others. "It don't signify to me where he got it from."

"Ah, I don't like to hear you talk like that George," ses Bob Pretty.
"I've thought more than once that you 'ad them ideas."

He drank up his beer and went off 'ome, shaking his 'cad, and, arter
three or four of'em 'ad explained to George Kettle wot he meant, George
went off 'ome, too.

The week afore Christmas, Smith, the landlord, said as 'ow he 'ad got
enough money, and three days arter we all came up 'ere to see the prize
drawn. It was one o' the biggest hampers Smith could get; and there was
a fine, large turkey in it, a large goose, three pounds o' pork sausages,
a bottle o' whiskey, a bottle o' rum, a bottle o' brandy, a bottle o'
gin, and two bottles o' wine. The hamper was all decorated with holly,
and a little flag was stuck in the top.

On'y men as belonged was allowed to feel the turkey and the goose, and
arter a time Smith said as 'ow p'r'aps they'd better leave off, and 'e
put all the things back in the hamper and fastened up the lid.

"How are we going to draw the lottery?" ses John Biggs, the blacksmith.

"There'll be twenty-three bits o' paper," ses Smith, "and they'll be
numbered from one to twenty-three. Then they'll be twisted up all the
same shape and put in this 'ere paper bag, which I shall 'old as each man
draws. The chap that draws the paper with the figger on it wins."

He tore up twenty-three bits o' paper all about the same size, and then
with a black-lead pencil 'e put the numbers on, while everybody leaned