Page:Love Poems and Others.djvu/62

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I expect you know who I am, Mrs Naylor!
  —Who yer are?—yis, you’re Lizzie Stainwright.
’An ’appen you might guess what I’ve come for?
  —’Appen I mightn’t, ’appen I might.

You knowed as I was courtin’ Tim Merfin.
  —Yis, I knowed ’e wor courtin’ thee.
An’ yet you’ve been carryin’ on wi’ him.
  —Ay, an’ ’im wi’ me.

Well, now you’ve got to pay for it,
  —An’ if I han, what’s that to thee?
For ’e isn’t goin’ to marry you.
  —Is it a toss-up ’twixt thee an’ me?

It’s no toss-up ’twixt thee an’ me.
  —Then what art colleyfoglin’ for?
I’m not havin’ your orts an’ slarts.
  —Which on us said you wor?

I want you to know ’e’s non marryin’ you.
  —Tha wants ’im thy-sen too bad.
Though I’ll see as ’e pays you, an’ comes to the scratch.
  —Tha’rt for doin’ a lot wi’ th’ lad.

VIII
To think I should ha’e to haffle an’ caffle
  Wi’ a woman, an’ pay ’er a price
For lettin’ me marry the lad as I thought
  To marry wi’ cabs an’ rice.

l.