"SCREAPINS"

Well, t' "Star's" mead its furst appearance, an' Ah think be wat ah've heeard, its suited gaily weel.  Sartanly thear is sum 'at dusn't seem setisfied,  neah matter wat yan dus for them.  For instance, Ah've hard yan or two greet silly fella's say 'at it's a laal paper;  wey, mebbe it is raider laal, but than it's a laal price; an' anudder thing leuk wat's in it !

Yan med hev a paper as big agean, an' nut hev hoaf o' t' gud reedin' in it, at's in this.  Wat's t' gud o' hevin' a big paper if it's nut worth readin' ?  Wey, yan med as weel tak a big bait box ta wark wid neah tommy in it !

An' theer's annudder thing ta consider, t "Star's" only yung yit, hod on till it's a bit oalder, an' than let's sea wat thur grumlers 'll hev ta say aboot it, yan naws barn's hes to be nurs't a lang time befoor they can woak;  an' efter that its a lang time befoor they're oald men.

Ah fancy 'at next time 'at "SARAH ELIZABETH COOPER' wants ta gaa till Cockermouth, she'll owder tak t' train for it or else woak it.  Ennyway, Ah wad say it 'll be a bit befoor she'll tak a trap at seam price as t' last.  Just fancy, six pund for a ride till Cockermouth an' her lawyer fella to pay efter that (and he wad'nt be paid wid a few strap coppers); its a gay stiff figur isn't it ?

Ah think she was reet sarrat enny way.  Ah dowant naw wat sec things as them wants gaan off in traps of a Sunday, it wad luk a gud deal better on them if they hed been at t' Sunday Scheul.  Bit it seems ta be t' way o' t' warld, noo;  wen Ah was a lad, if any of us lot hed spok about gaan off in a trap we wad hev stud a gud chance o' gitten tied till t' bed-post, an' hevin' a reap's end team till ua. 

Aye, bit things is sorely changed sen than !  noo-a-days lads and lasses wants ta be men an' wimmen befoor they're intill they're teens, asteed o'waitin' till they're oot o' them.

If enny o' them Local Booard fella's hed been a' low end o't toon last Setterdey mornin', aboot hoaf-past three, there wad hev been a bonny row Ah'lt back.  Ya naw this wast' day 'at t' Dronfield chaps went away for they're trip.  Well as far as Ah can larn, wenn them 'at leev's towards t' bottom o' t' toon went till t' tap for watter ta mak a cup o' tea wid, thear was nin;  an' t' fooak hed ta gas away till Glasca widoot enny brekfast, or widoot hevin' a bit of a wesh or owt.  Sec wark as this isn't varra pleasant, is it, espeshally wen ya hev ta pay for t' watter ?

Ah was toakin' ta yah chap at sed he com on awreet wid his brekfast:  "An hoo did ta manish it min" ses Ah;  "Well, he said, "thoo naws Ah varra offen sleep in of a mornin', seah for fear Ah wad be leat an miss t' train.  Ah hed me brekfast at neet, before Ah went to bed."

Bit puttin aw jwokin aside, ,thear's a serias side till this watter questan.  Supposin sum pooar wurkin chap hed rowt hard, an depriv'd hissel of aw maks o' pleshur at a wurkin man generaly gits, till he seaved as much brass as bowt him a hoose ta leevin;  an sum neet t' hoose tean fire wen t' watter was turn'd off, an gits burnt doon;  woa's gaan ta pay t' poor man for his hoose ?  Will t' Local Bwoard giv him enny compensation ?  Ah dovant think they wad, t' poor fella med loasin an hoor or two t' trass at it hed tean him aw his life ta seav.  Raider hard lines fort' man, isn't it ?  Seuner this watter business is leuk't intill an better it'll be for ivvery body, wat deu think ?

Ah was thinkin o' hevin a line aboot t' hod at bettin seems ta hev got aboot here, but ah 'll leeve it till annudder time.

"PICKUP".

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