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Kesenmas neeght, or then aboot, When meeasons all wur frozen oot, Ah went te see a coontry frind, An hospitable hoor te spend. For gains Ah cut across at moor, Whoor t'snaw seea furiously did stour:— The hoose Ah geean'd, an' enter'd in, An' wor as welcome as a king, The stoorm ageean t'winder patter'd, An' hailsteeans doon t'chimler clatter'd, All hands wur in, an' sceam'd content, An' neean did frost or snaw lament. T'lasses all wur at ther sowing, Ther cheeks wi' health an' beauty glowing. Aroond the heearth in cheerful chat Twea'r three frindly neeaburs sat; Ther travels telling,—whoor they'd been, An' what they hed beeath heeard an' seen; Till yan us all did mitch amuse, An' thus a stoory introduce. "Ah recollect lang sin," sez he, "A stoory that wur tell'd te me, 'At seeams seea straange i' this oor day, That true or false Ah cannut say, A man liv'd in this neybourheead, Neea doot ov reputation gud, An' lang taame strave w' stiddy care, Te keep his hooshod i' repair.