her to marry him. Mabel wor a sensible lass, ho knew a reight chap when
shoo seed one, soa shoo sed at shoo'd wed him wi pleasur if he'd get her
father's consent.

"Mother's been deead these six years," shoo sed, "but befoor shoo deed
aw promised her faithful at aw'd nivver marry nubdy withaat mi father
wor agreeable."

Sydney kussed her an sed he wor quite content an he'd goa daan to
Brummagem next Tuesday, an ax her father on th' Wednesday mornin, an as
he wor weel to do i' money matters, noa daat ther'd be noa difficulty i'
gettin th' owd feller to have him for a son i' law.

Soa Mabel went hooam wi a happy heart, an caanted th' haars wol next
Wednesday, when shoo'd see her dear Sydney Algernon ageean.

Nah as aw tell'd yo befooar, Sydney wor a reight nice young feller--he
wor as steady as a clock, an nubdy couldn't say nowt ageean him, nobbut
for one thing, an that wor he'd getten an idea into his heead, at he
couldn't possibly live baat bacca--mornin, nooin an neet, he wor hardly
ivver withaat awther a pipe or a cigar in his maath, an tho' fowk tell'd
him at he smooked a deeal too mich, it wor noa gooid.

"Aw couldn't live baat a bit o' bacca," he used to say, "an when th' day
cooms 'at aw may'nt smook, aw shall'nt care ha sooin they shut me up in
a box, an cart me off to th' burryin graand."

Soa yo can easy imagine 'at wi sich sentiments as these, he didn't
leeave off smookin as ha fowk tawked. At last Tuesdy coom, an as th'
best train for Brummagem left at five o'clock in th' afternooin, Sydney