Its hard on a poor sole, and on me Thirsdays and Soondays out the yung crachures do be bigging me to stay at home, she wid her coaxing words, and he wid his everlasting munney. Shure its ritch I’m getting wid five dollars here and the tin dollars there. Now Minnie deer, rite me a swate letter at wunse and tell me what to do. The family do be soospecting nuthing, for Mr. Wolley seems to have sum sacred thrubble of his own. After Mrs. Wolley gets to bed at ate (she being a sufferer from insomnear ivery nite) I seen Mr. Wolley sneeking out of the house, like he was after going out for some meeness, and she his lorful wife innersent and unsoospecting and he an old man wid four grown luvly children. The widder across the rode to be rooning after Mr. John and ivery nite hes aff to talk wid her about her preshus vigitibles, and wud ye belave it Minnie darlint she do be sinding over messes ivery day from her gardin “samples” she calls thim “of me own raysing.” Mr. James do be crazy wid luv for Miss Una Robbins but the poor lad do be making himsilf that oonhappy a body dare not spake to him at all at all. You see the girl do be a magnut’s dorter and Mr. James is that set against all magnuts hes beside himsilf wid rage. Ah Minnie this do be a straynge bit of coontry wid ivery body in lov wid aich uther. Over at the Dudley house there be two bold lads. Wan is very fine and ijjicated. He’s Frinch—a expert shoffer as he ses. Its the hite of his ambition so he told me a few days sinse whin I be hanging out me clothes to own a small coontry shop for ortermobiles, “Boot” ses he “it taks money to buy aven a modust little place,” and arsks me carelessly whether I be of the saving kind of girl. “Why musser” ses I “Its $700 Iv’ve poot away in the bank for me auld age.” “Mon joor!” ses he, gaping at me, and it was just thin I made the acquintunce of the other lad. Hes a grate rude spalpeen, and he’s after being in charge of the Dudley stables, so he tells me, ilbowing the perlite Frinchman aside. “Good marning!” ses he “I see yure new round these parts, or you wouldnt be after spaking wid the Frinchy.” I confess Minnie I was thruly ashamed of the manner of the auld cuntry when I seen the diffrunce betwane the axshuns of museer and the other wan. I toorned a face of scorn upon the latter, picked up me baskit and marched aff in dudgin. I’ll be closing me letter now, hoping your hilth is good as this leaves me at prisint. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XVIII TWO DAYS LATER