"Is thot truth, Essy?"
"It's Gawd's truth."
He put out his hand and caressed the child's downy head as if it was the head of some young animal.
"I wish I could do more fer 'im, Essy. I will, maaybe, soom daay."
"I wouldn' lat yo'. I wouldn' tooch yo're mooney now ef I could goa out t' wark an' look affter 'im too. I wouldn' tooch a panny of it, I wouldn'."
"Dawn' yo' saay thot, Essy. Yo' dawn' want to spite mae, do yo'?"
"I didn' saay it t' spite yo', Jimmy. I said it saw's yo' sudn' feel saw baad."
He smiled mournfully.
"Poor Essy," he said.
She gave him a queer look. "Yo' needn' pity mae," she said.