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I found the Ancient sunning himself in the porch before the inn,

as he waited for his breakfast

"Peter," said he, "I be tur'ble cold sometimes It comes

a-creepin' on me all at once, even if I be sittin' before a roarin'

fire or a-baskin' in this good, warrave-chills, I calls 'erave-chills Ketches me by the 'eart they do; ye see I be that

old, Peter, that old an' wore out"

"But you're a wonderfulthe

shrivelled hand inas a bull I be, Peter!" he nodded readily, "but then,

even a bull gets old an' wore out, an' these grave-chills ketches

el o' Death

reached out an' touched er,

soft-like, as much as to say: ''Ere be a poor, old, wore-out

creeter as I shall be wantin' soon' Well, I be ready; 'tis

only the young or the fule as fears to die Threescore years

an' ten, says the Bible, an' I be years an' years older than

that Oh! I shan't be afeared to anshen I'm called, Peter