fooilish, for it nawther gooas faster nor slower nor iver it did. But
he's a happy chap 'at, when th' year ends, can luk back an' think ha
mich gooid he's done, for it isn't what a chap will do for th' futer,
its what he has done i'th' past 'at fowk mun judge by. Its net wise
for onybody to booast o' what they mean to do in a month's time,
becoss we cannot tell what a month's time may do for us. We can
hardly help havin' a gloomy thowt or two at this part o'th' year, but
Kursmiss comes to cheer us up a bit, an' he's nooan ov a gooid sooart
'at can't be jolly once i'th' year. As an owd friend o' mine has
cliverly said:--

Come let us choose the better part,
And sing whilst life is given;
A cheerful and contented heart
Gives no offence to Heaven.

'Tis Christmas time, then fill the horn,
Away with melancholy,
If there's no leaves upon the thorn,
There is upon the holly.

Hi! varry true! When ther's no leaves upon th' thorn, they're green
upon the holly. Ther's allus summat to be thankful for if we seek it
aat--ther's sure to be a bit o' sunshine somewhere--an' its a varry
bad case if a chap can't find consolation aat o' summat.

Aw remember a case ov a woman deein' 'at aw knew, an' aw met th'
husband lukkin' varry glum a bit at after. "Well Joa," aw said,
"tha's had a heavy loss, lad." "Eea, aw have," an' then after
studdyin' a bit, he said, "but aw should ha had to ha bowt a new suit