Page:Love Poems and Others.djvu/59

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As bold as a robin! It’s much he cares
For this nice old shame and disgrace.

Oh but he drops his flag when ’e sees me,
Yes, an’ ’is face goes white . . . oh yes
Tha can stare at me wi’ thy fierce blue eyes,
But tha doesna stare me out, I guess!

VI
Whativer brings thee out so far
  In a’ this depth o’ snow?
—I’m takin’ ’ome a weddin’ dress
  If tha maun know.

Why, is there a weddin’ at Underwood,
  As tha ne’d trudge up here?
—It’s Widow Naylor’s weddin’-dress,
  An’ ’er’s wantin it, I hear.

Er doesna want no weddin-dress . . .
  What—but what dost mean?
—Doesn’t ter know what I mean, Tim?—Yi,
  Tha must’ a’ been hard to wean!

Tha’rt a good-un at suckin-in yet, Timmy;
  But tell me, isn’t it true
As ’er’ll be wantin’ my weddin’ dress
  In a week or two?

Tha’s no occasions ter ha’e me on
  Lizzie—what’s done is done!
Done, I should think so—Done! But might
  I ask when tha begun?

xlvii.