8
Mrs. Gale: Yes, sure. Work enough in this house an’ no chance for me to be puttin’ a run of fixin’ on anything. Will you take a dhrink of tea before you begin? The place is all through others, an’ indeed I’m not able to side things at all I am so hobbled with this chile.
Hommy: Aw, indade! He’ grow ’stro’nary though, since last I saw him. No, I’ll not take anything just now, thank you kindly. Maybe a sup just now when I’ll be dhry pullin’ the needle in an’ out. Is it tejus like this he is all the time?
Mrs. Gale: Aw, tejus scandalous. My word, there’s no ress at us night or day. Himself walkin’ the flure with him all night. I don’t know what’s doin’ on him.
Hommy [looking down wisely through his spectacles at cradle]: He’s lookin’ middlin’ wickad too. [Child yells.]
Mrs. Gale [angrily]: Don’t be sayin’ such things an’ him in pain, perhaps, poor lil sowl. There’s something must be hurtin’ him to make him so cross. An’ not able to put a foot to the ground yet.
Hommy: Aw, indade! They’re sayin’ it’s very backward he is.
Mrs. Gale: He is that–but he’s cuttin’ his teeth fine, for all. He took an’ bit his Daa yesterday in a mistake. ’Deed but he can bite well enough.
Hommy: Aw, indade! An’ is it only now he is cuttin’ his teeth, an’ him very near four years of age. He should be walkin’ by now.
Mrs. Gale: An’ how is he goin’ to be walkin’ an’ him so wake that his legs is no more use to him till a piece of tangle! It’s like cuttin’ the teeth is enough for him at a time.
Hommy: An’ not spakin’ yet either, they’re sayin’.
Mrs. Gale: Not a word out of him yet. ’Deed, though, there’s many that’s doin’ more talk than work.
Rocks again, and sings.
