Page:Between Two Loves.djvu/276

Rh as if he'd come to tell me Queen Victoria was waiting outside. I hed seen him coming, for I hed been expecting t' visit, but I sat still at my fireside, and when t' man knocked I shouted to him to walk in. He didn't do it, though, till he got tired o' knocking, and then he says, 'Squire Bashpoole wants to see you, sir.' 'I've no objections,' says I; 'tell him to come in.' 'Sir?' says he. 'Tell him to come here,' I answered, and by t' way I spoke he knew I meant something. So t' squire comes marching in as if he hed looked at my property, and liked it and meant to buy it; and I said, 'Well, squire, thou can sit down if ta likes.'

"'I won't sit down, Mr. Shuttleworth, and what are you building opposite my park?' he asked.

"'Why, ta sees,' I told him, 'there's a sight o' wool mills round here, and I'm building a soap factory; it's sure to pay.'

"'Pay!' he bellowed. 'It's an outrage! It's a nuisance! It ruins my property! It's close upon my park walls!'

"'Ay,' I said, 'thy park walls hes long been an outrage and a nuisance. My tenants don't