Part 14

Nelly o' Bob's

John Hartley (1839-1915)

Who is it at lives i' that cot on the lea, Joy o' my heart an' leet o' my ee? Who is that lass at's so dear unto me? Nelly o' Bob's o' t' Crowtrees.

Who is it goes trippin' ower dew-spangled grass, Singin' so sweetly? Shoo smiles as I pass, Bonniest, rosy-cheek'd, gay-hearted lass! Nelly o' Bob's o' t' Crowtrees.

Who is it I see i' my dreams of a neet ? Who lovingly whispers words tender an' sweet, Till I wakken to find shoo's nowheer i' t' seet? Nelly o' Bob's o' t' Crowtrees.

Who is it at leads me so lively a donce, Yet to tawk serious ne'er gies me a chonce, An' niver replied when I begged on her once? Nelly o' Bob's o' t' Crowtrees.

Who is it at ivery chap's hankerin' to get, Yet tosses her heead an' flies off in a pet, As mich as to say, "You've not getten me yet"? Nelly o' Bob's o' t' Crowtrees.

Who is it could mak life a long summer's day, Whose smile would drive sorrow an' trouble away, An' mak t' hardest wark, if for her, seem like play? Nelly o' Bob's o' t' Crowtrees.

Who is it I'll have if I've iver a wife, An' love her, her only, to th' end o' my life, An' nurse her i' sickness, an' guard her from strife? Nelly o' Bob's o' t' Crowtrees.

Who is it at's promised, to-neet if it's fine, To meet me at t' corner o' t' mistal(1) at nine? Why, it's her at I've langed for so long to mak mine- Nelly o' Bob's o' t' Crowtrees.

1. Cow-Shed

Bite Bigger

John Hartley

As I hurried through t' taan to my wark, -I were lat,(1) for all t' buzzers had gooan- I happen'd to hear a remark At 'ud fotch tears thro' th' heart of a stooan.

It were rainin', an' snawin', an' cowd, An' th' flagstones were cover'd wi' muck, An' th' east wind both whistled an' howl'd, It saanded like nowt bud ill luck.

When two little lads, donn'd(2) i' rags, Baat(3) stockin's or shoes o' their feet, Com trapsin' away ower t' flags, Boath on 'em sodden'd wi' t' weet.

Th' owdest mud happen be ten, T' young un be haulf on't, no more; As I look'd on, I said to misen, "God help fowk this weather at's poor!"

T' big un samm'd(4) summat off t' graand, An' I look'd just to see what 't could be, 'T were a few wizen'd flaars he'd faand, An' they seem'd to hae fill'd him wi' glee.

An' he said, "Coom on, Billy, may be We sal find summat else by an' by; An' if not, tha mun share these wi' me, When we get to some spot wheer it's dry."

Leet-hearted, they trotted away, An' I follow'd, 'cause t' were i' my rooad; But I thowt I'd ne'er seen sich a day, It wern't fit to be aat for a tooad.

Sooin t' big un agean slipp'd away, An' samm'd summat else aat o' t' muck; An' he cried aat, "Look here, Bill, to-day Arn't we blest wi' a seet o' gooid luck?

"Here's a apple, an' t' mooast on it's saand, What's rotten I'll throw into t' street. Wern't it gooid to lig theer to be faand? Naa boath on us can have a treat."

So he wip'd it an' rubb'd it, an' then Said, "Billy, thee bite off a bit; If tha hasn't been lucky thisen, Tha sal share wi' me sich as I get."

So t' little un bate off a touch,(5) T' other's face beam'd wi' pleasure all through, An' he said, "Nay, tha hasn't taen mich, Bite agean, an' bite bigger, naa do."

I waited to hear nowt no more; Thinks I, there's a lesson for me; Tha's a heart i' thy breast, if tha'rt poor; T' world were richer wi' more sich as thee.

Two pence were all t' brass at I had, An' I meant it for ale when com nooin ; Bud I thowt, I'll go give it yond lad, He desarves it for what he's been doin'.

So I said, "Lad, here's twopence for thee, For thisen." An' they star'd like two geese; Bud he said, whol t' tear stood in his ee, "Naa, it'll just be a penny apiece."

"God bless thee! do just as tha will, An' may better days speedily come; Though clamm'd(6) an' hauf donn'd,(7) my lad, still Tha'rt a deal nearer Heaven nor(8) some."