Mi friends began askin my wife, if shoo felt hersen hearty an' strong?
An' aw niver saw at her face wor beginning to whiten,
Till sho grew like a shadow, an' aw couldn't even guess wrong.
Then aw stood beside th' grave when th' saxton wor shovin in th' gravel,
An' he said "this last maks five, an' aw think ther's just room for another,"
An' aw went an' left him, lonely an' heartsick to travel,
Till th' time comes when aw may lig daan beside them four bairns an' ther mother.
An' aw think what a glorious Christmas day 'twod ha been
If aw'd gooan to that place where ther's noa moor cares, nor partin, nor sorrow;
An aw knaw they're thear, or that dream aw should niver ha seen,