It wor lat on ith' day when Chairley slunk into th' shop, an th' maister mooationed for him to step into th' private office. What tuk place aw dooan't exactly know, but when they coom aght Chairley lukt varry warm, an th' maister had a grin on his face at wor a gooid sign. Three or four days passed, an Minnie nivver entered that shop. Chairley tried to feel thankful, for he didn't know ha to face her, an yet he wor miserable, for he felt as if he couldn't live withaat her. Just as he wor turnin th' corner oth' street on his way hooam,--it wor ommost dark an he wor in a varry low kay;--a voice cloise to him sed, "What's the price of fresh eggs to-day, Chairley?" Chairley felt like jumpin aght ov his skin, as he turned raand an saw Minnie, laffin all ovver her face an lukkin moor bewitchinly bonny nor ivver. "A'a, Minnie! Miss Minnie, aw meean;--Aw have to beg yo pardon. Aw'll nivver do it agean as long as aw live. Will yo forgie me this time, an coom to th' shop as usual?" "Has the shop-boy forgiven you?" "Aw care nowt abaat him." "But the master?" "Oh' he's all reight, but when aw gate to know who yo wor, they could ha fell'd me wi a feather." Minnie had stept back into th' shadder oth' porch an wor sittin on th' step. Chairley wor ith' shadder o'th' porch too. All wor varry quiet for a long time an when th' mooin peept aght an sent a mild soft leet into that same porch, it showed a couple sittin varry cloise together. When Chairley went hooam that neet, he wor th' mooast important chap, in his own estimation, at lived i' that taan. His mother had been uneasy for th' past few days, for shoo saw ther wor summat wrang, an shoo nooaticed th' change in him as sooin as he went in. "Has things gooan reight wi thi to-day, Chairley?" shoo ventured to ax him. "Nivver better, Mother;--Nivver better!" But shoo felt sewer ther wor summat undernaith, an shoo wor detarmined to find it aght. Shoo knew at Chairley wodn't be at th' shop next mornin, as it wor his day to goa seekin orders, soa shoo waited till he'd getten off, an then shoo went to see his maister. "Come this way, Mrs. Dempster," he sed when he saw her, "what can we do for you this morning?" "Aw wanted to spaik to yo if yo pleeas. Awd like to know if my son has been havin onny trubble latly?" "Well, my dear Madam, troubles come to all on us at times. I dare say Charley has had a little trouble,--just a minimum." "Aw mud ha known it! But if yond Minnie doesn't let my lad alooan aw'll mak this taan too hot for her. Shoo owt to be smoored an all sichlike." "Excuse me, Mrs. Dempster, but if you are alluding to my niece Minnie, I must ask you to speak with more respect, for she is as good as she is good-looking, and that is saying a great deal." "Yo dooan't meean to say shoo's yor neese sewerly."