of turkey. "I could wish I wor young ageëan!"
Hepworth caught the remark, and glanced at Elisabeth, who was smiling at the old man's compliment. It struck a new chord in his nature to hear her admired, and he suddenly recognised that he was proud of her good looks, and was pleased that other men paid homage to them.
"Owd Tommy's gotten a soft spot in his heart," said one of the lads, nudging his fellow at the table.
Old Tommy heard and shook his grey head.
"Aye," said he, pipingly. "Aye, there's some on us owd uns 'at can see bewty a deëal quicker nor some o' ye young uns. When I wor nobbut a lad I hed a sweetheart, but now-a-days t' lads is shyer nor t' lasses—sure-ly. Ye nooän on ye come forrard, ye young uns, so us owd uns has to dew it for ye. I nobbut wish I wor younger—I'd show ye how to mak' love to t' lasses."
