Home-Life of the Lancashire Factory Folk during the Cotton Famine

There's a good time coming! One wag of a fellow suddenly called out to his wife on the platform, Aw say, Molly, just run for thoose tother breeches o' mine. They'n come in rarely for weet weather. One of his companions replied, Thae knows hoo cannot get 'em, Jack. Th' pop-shops are noan oppen yet. One hearty cheer arose as the train started, after which the crowd dribbled away from the platform. I returned to the soup kitchen, where the wives, children, and mothers of the men who had gone were at breakfast in the inner compartment of the kitchen. On the outer side of the partition five or six pinched-looking men had straggled in to get their morning meal. When they had all done but one, who was left reared against the wooden partition finishing his soup, the last of those going away turned round and said, Sam, theaw'rt noan as tickle abeawt thi mate as thae use't to be. Naw, replied the other, it'll not do to be nice these times.