Weller, ā€œI wish I did; far worse than that. He was the master o’ that ’ere shop, sir, and the inwentor o’ the patent-never-leavin’-off sassage steam-ingin, as ’ud swaller up a pavin’ stone if you put it too near, and grind it into sassages as easy as if it was a tender young babby. Wery proud o’ that machine he was, as it was nat’ral he should be, and he’d stand down in the celler a-lookin’ at it wen it was in full play, till he got quite melancholy with joy. A wery happy man he’d ha’ been, Sir, in the procession o’ that ’ere ingin and two more lovely hinfants besides, if it hadn’t been for his wife, who was a most owdacious wixin. She was always a-follerin’ him about, and dinnin’ in his ears, till at last he couldn’t stand it no longer. ā€˜I’ll tell you what it is, my dear,’ he says one day; ā€˜if you persewere in this here sort of amusement,’ he says, ā€˜I’m blessed if I don’t go away to ’Merriker; and that’s all about it.’ ā€˜You’re a idle willin,’ says she, ā€˜and I wish the ’Merrikins joy of their bargain.’ Arter which she keeps on abusin’ of him for half an hour, and then runs into the little parlour behind the shop, sets to a-screamin’, says he’ll be the death on her, and falls in a fit, which lasts for three good hours⁠—one o’ them fits wich is all screamin’ and kickin’.

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