"Clean your doorstep, Marm?"
Some rascal in the night had twigged,
The coal-iron loose, which he had prigged,
"If I'd a know'd a hole was there,
I would o' coorse ha' took more care
Cleaning your doorstep, Marm?"
YE MAYDEN AND YE EGGE.
The shades of night were gone—at last,
As, all agog to break her fast,