Page:Wren--The young stagers.djvu/118

100 "‘No, I can not," says Muvver. 'Will you come an' 'ave five kids an' a drunken 'usband 'ere, an' live on seven bob a week, an' show me 'ow to take a pride in it? Talk sense or go an' 'inder some one else.'

"Then the 'oly an' virtuous female talked to Muvver for the good of 'er soul, she did, an' likewise she lef' a track, a proper 'un—'’Ow will you like 'Ell?’ it were called. Muvver said she'd prob'ly enjoy it fine after wot she'd 'ad in Christian England, she did.

"Goin' dahn-stairs the kind lidy met Ole Muvver Skin-the-Goat. She weren't so perlite as my ole gal.

"‘Good afternoon, my good woman,' says the lidy to the abandoned slum-dweller, in 'er gracious way. Ole Muvver Skin-the-Goat she eyes 'er, cold an' steady, fer a bit. Then—

"‘You be grycious to me, an' I'll 'ave yer back 'air dahn in 'arf once,' says she. '’Op it, will yer,' an' she p'ints wiv 'er fumb. She wos a wulgar ole lot.

"Well, this noble-'earted lady came agin nex' week.