“Doan’t be too sure, Tom; it be a long time now since it begun.”
“Ah!” said Tom, “a long time enough; but it’ll be in th’ paper afore long now; an’ we got one o’ the cleverest counsel in Lunnun?”
“What be his name?”
“Danged if I know, but it be one o’ the stunninest men o’ the day; two on ’em, by Golly; we got two, Nancy.”
“Who be th’ tother? p’r’aps thee med mind his name?”
“Noa, I doan’t mind his name nuther. Now, what d’ye think o’ thic?”
Mrs. Bumpkin laughed, and said, “I think it be a rum thing that thee ’as counsellors and doan’t mind their names.”
And then the conversation turned upon Joe, whose place was vacant in the old chimney corner.
The tears ran down Mrs. Bumpkin’s rosy cheeks as she said for the twentieth time since Mr. Bumpkin’s return,—
“Poor Joe! why did ur goo for a soger?”