Part 31 (1/2)

Bit Jerry snaur'd za loud, tha naise Tha gennelmen did gally; Tha'd haf a mind ta turn en out; A war dreamin o' his Mally!

It war the morkit da as rawl'd Tha cawch athin Bejwater; Tha drauv tip ta the Crown-Inn door, Ther Ma-game man com'd ater.

”Here Maester Water! Lock-y-zee!

A-ma-be you mid thenk Thic mon a snauren in tha cawch Is auvercome wi' drenk.

Bit 'tis not not jitchy theng we knaw; A is a cunjerin mon, Vor on c.o.c.k-hill we vound en ly'd Iz stick stif in his hon.

Iz vace war cover'd thick wi' vlies An b.l.o.o.d.y stouts a plenty; Nif he'd o pumple voot bezide, An a brumstick vor'n to zit ascride, O' wizards a mid be thawt tha pride, Amangst a kit o' twenty.”

”Lord zur! an why d'ye bring en here To gally all tha people?

Why zuggers! nif we frunt en than, He'll auver-dro tha steeple.

I bag ye, zur, to take en vooath; There! how iz teeth da chatter; Lawk zur! vor Christ--look there again!

A'll witchify Bejwater!”

Tha gennelman stood by an smiled To zee tha bussle risin: Yor zoon, droo-out tha morkit wide Tha news wor gwon saprisin.

An round about tha cawch tha dring'd-- Tha countryman and townsman; An young an awld, an man an maid-- Wi' now an tan, an here an there, Amang tha crowd to gape an stare, A doctor and a gownsman.

Jitch naise an bother wakid zoon Poor hormless Jerry Nutty, A look'd astunn'd;--a cood'n speak!

An daver'd war iz tutty.

A niver in his life avaur 'ad been athin Bejwater; A thawt, an if a war alive, That zummet war tha matter.

Tha houzen cling'd together zaw!

Tha gennelmen an ladies!

Tha blacksmith's, brazier's hammers too!

An smauk whauriver trade is.

Bit how a com'd athin a cawch A war amaz'd at thenkin; A thawt, vor sartin, a must be A auvercome wi' drenkin.

Tha ax'd en nif a'd please to g'out An ta tha yalhouse g'in; Bit tha zo clooase about en dring'd A cood'n goo athin.

Ta g'under 'em or g'auver 'em A try'd booath grate and small; Bit g'under, g'auver, g'in, or g'out, A cood'n than at all.

”Lord bless ye! gennel-vawk!” zed he, I'm come to Gla.s.senberry To zee tha Torr an Hawly Thorn; What makes ye look za merry?”

”Why mister wizard? dwont ye knaw, Thease town is call'd Bejwater!”

Cried out a whipper-snapper man: Tha all bust out in laughter.

”I be'nt a wizard, zur!” a zed; ”Bit I'm a little t.i.tch'd; [Footnote: Touched.]

”Or, witherwise, you mid well thenk I'm, zure anow, bewitch'd!”

Thaw Jerry war, vor all tha wordle, Like very zel o' quiet, A veel'd iz blood ta bwile athin At jitchy zort o' riot;