'At i' spite o' thi years an' thi cares, tha still wears a smile o' thi face.
Come fill up thi pipe— for aw knaw tha'rt reight fond ov a rick,—
An' tha'll find a drop o' hooarm-brew'd i' that pint up o'th' hob, aw dar say;
An' nah, wol tha'rt toastin thi shins, just scale th' foir, an' aw'll side thi owd stick,
Then aw'll tell thi some things 'ats happen'd sin tha went away.
An' first of all tha mun knaw 'at aw havn't been spar'd,
For trials an' troubles have come, an' mi heart has felt well nigh to braik;
An' mi wife, 'at tha knaws wor mi pride, an' mi fortuns has shared,
Shoo bent under her griefs, an' shoo's flown far, far away aat o' ther raik.
My life's like an owd gate 'ats nobbut one hinge for support,