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30 urchin, and when she brought it, she looked so pale and ghostly, that I had not the heart to say a word, so I stared at the brat, and it stretched out its wee little hands to me. And the mother frowned at it, and throwed it into my lap!"

"Ah! she vas a hawful voman, that 'ere!" said Dummie, shaking his head. "But howsomever, the hurchin fell into good hands; for I be's sure you 'as been a better mother to 'un than the raal 'un!"

"I was always a fool about childer," rejoined Mrs. Lobkins, "and I thinks as how little Paul was sent to be a comfort to my latter end!—fill the glass, Dummie."

"I 'as heard as ow Judith was once blowen to a great lord!" said Dummie.

"Like enough!" returned Mrs. Lobkins—"like enough! she was always a favourite of mine, for she had a spuret (spirit) as big as my own; and she paid her rint like a decent body, for all she was out of her sinses, or nation like it."

"Ay, I knows as how you liked her,—'cause vy? 'tis not your vay, to let a room to a voman! you