Till at last aw'd to shift th' cheer further back
for aw couldn't bide near it.

Th' dull saand o' th' church bells
coom to tell me one moor Christmas mornin',
Had come, for its welcome--
but ha could aw welcome it when all aloan?
For th' snow wor fallin soa thickly,
an' th' cold wind wor moanin,
An' them 'at aw lov'd wor asleep
i' that cold church yard, under a stoan:

Soa aw went to bed an' aw slept,
an' then began dreamin,
'At mi wife stood by mi side, an' smiled,
an' mi heart left off its beatin',
An' aw put aat mi hand, an' awoke,
an' mornin' wor gleamin';
An' its made me feel sorrowful,
an aw cannot give ovver freatin.

For aw think what a glorious Christmas day
'twod ha' been,
If awd goan to that place, where ther's noa moor cares,
nor partin', nor sorrow,
For aw know shoo's thear,
or that dream aw sud nivver ha' seen,
But aw'll try to be patient,
an' maybe shoo'll come fotch me to-morrow.