Yorkshire Tales. Third Series: Amusing sketches of Yorkshire Life in the Yorkshire DialectHartley, John
General
Yorkshire Tales. Third Series: Amusing sketches of Yorkshire Life in the Yorkshire Dialect
Hartley, John
English language -- Dialects -- England -- Yorkshire; Yorkshire (England) -- Fiction
Befoor Grimes had gooan varry far he thowt his wisest plan wod be to ax
somdy. Soa seein a poleeceman he made enquiries.
"Aw dooant know exactly," sed th' bobby, "but aw fancy ther's a chap o'
that name keeps a shop somewhere up Manningham way."
Soa Sammywell set off i' that direction, keepin his een oppen for a fish
shop. After he'd gooan ommost a mile he sed,
"Awm a fooil for commin all this way, for if awd nobbut gien it a thowt
aw'st ha known ther wor noa shop o' that sooart up here. Mi best plan
wod ha been to goa to th' market an enquire thear. They'd be sewer to
know," soa he walked back agean, but he made a few enquiries as he went
along, but nubdy seemed to know.
Just as he'd getten to Westgate he saw Tom Taggart an he felt sewer he'd
know, for he seemed to spend his time trailin abaat th' streets.
"Hallo, Tom!" he sed, "tha'rt just th' chap aw wanted to see! Can ta
tell me whear Jim Nation keeps his fish shop?"
"Jim Nation?" sed Tom, rubbin his chin,--"Let me see. Are ta sewer it's
a fish shop?"
"Aw should think it is for he sells mussels."
"O,--hi, tha'rt reight. It is a fish shop. What did ta say wor th'
chap's name?"
"Jim Nation."
"O,--Jim is it? Tha'rt sewer it isn't 'Tom'?"
"Noa, it's Jim."
"It isn't Sam Shackleton tha meeans, is it? He sells fish sometimes."
"Aw tell thi his name's Jim Nation."
"O,--well,--then it willn't be Sam Shackleton. Awm like as if aw know
th' chap tha meeans but aw connot spot him this minnit. Let's goa into
th' 'Star' an mak some enquirements, ther's sewer to be somdy 'll know
him."
Soa into th' 'Star' they went, an Tom called for a pint for hissen an
axt Grimes what he wor gooing to have. "We connot come in an goa aght
drymaath, tha knows," sed Tom, soa Grimes ordered twopenoth an paid for
booath. Then they axt ivverybody if they knew whear Jim Nation's fish
shop wor, but altho two or three on em believed they'd seen it, nubdy
could tell whear.
"We'd better have another drink an sit daan a bit," sed Tom, "ther'll be
sewer for somdy to come in at'll know."
But Sammywell worn't havin onny moor o' that sooart, so he left em. When
he wor aght ith' street ageean, he scrat his heead an sed summat he
shouldn't.
"What a lumpheead aw am! Why didn't aw goa to ax Mistress Whitin at
furst, an save misen all this bother?" an he started at once for her
haase.
He faand her sittin sewin,--for ther's little or noa trade dooin in a
milk shop after drinkin time.
"Wod yo be soa gooid, Mistress Whitin, as to tell me whear Jim Nation
has his fish shop?"
"Fish shop.--Jim Nation.--Nay, Mr. Grimes, awm sooary to say aw connot.
It's nowhear abaat here, that awm sewer on. Has he been ith' trade
long?"
"Well, this is the degger! Aw've happen getten th' wrang name; but awm
sewer that's what Mally tell'd me. But yo happen willn't mind tellin me
whear yo're husband buys his mussels?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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