th' cheerman's had a drop too much, an' aw think we owt to try to get
him hooam if ony body knows wheear he lives." "Eea!" sed one chap 'at
had been varry quite all th' neet, "aw dooant think he'll pay for owt
ony moor, soa we mud as weel get shut on him." "Ther's Frank standin'
at th' corner," sed another "aw dar say he'll tak him." "Who's Frank,
aw asked." "O, it's a donkey 'at they call Frank," sed Ike, "th' chap
'at bowt him had him kursened Frank i' honor o' Frank Crossley bein made
a member o' parliment." "Varry weel," aw sed, "then let's get him onto
it." One or two came to give a lift, an' wi' a bit o' trouble we gate
him aghtside. Th' donkey wor thear, but as ther wor a gurt milk can o'
each side on it, aw couldn't see exactly ha to put this chap on. "O,"
sed Ike, "he'll ride nicely between' em," soa we hoisted him up, an'
gave th' chap 'at belang'd donkey a shilling to see him safe hooam. Off
they went at a jog trot, an' aw fancy if he'd niver known owt abaat th'
can can befoor, 'at he'd have a varry lively noation o' what it meant
befoor he'd gooan two mile daan th' hill. When we'd getten him away,
some o'th chaps went back into th' haase, but aw thowt my wisest plan
wor to steer straight for hooam, which aw did, an' although aw believe
my old woman had prepared a dish o' tongue for mi supper, as aw went
straight to bed an' fell asleep, aw'm net exactly sure whether aw gate
it or net. When aw wakken'd next mornin, aw began thinking abaat th'
neet befoor, an' aw coom to th' conclusion, 'at "Widdop's Rest" might be
all varry weel once in a way, but if a chap had weary booans, he'd be
able to rest a deal better in a comfortable bed at hooam.




Tinklin' Tom.