Water baby Tom (3)

Water baby Tom (3)

At last, at the bottom of a hill, they came to a spring and there Grimes stopped.
Without a word, he got off his donkey, and clambered over the low wall, and knelt down, and began dipping his ugly head into the spring. 

" I wish I might go and dip my head in, " said poor little Tom.

" Thou come along, " said Grimes, " what dost want with a washing thyself ? "
Grimes was very sulky, because the woman preferred Tom's company to his; so he dashed at Tom and began beating him.



" Are you not ashamed of yourself, Tomas Grimes ? " cried the Irishwoman over the wall.

Grimes looked u, startled at her knowing his name ; but all he answered was, " No: nor never was yet; " and went on beating Tom.

" Stop ! " said the Irishwoman.
" If you strike that boy again, I can tell what I know.  I have one moe word for you both,
 Those that wish to be clean,
   Clean they will be;
 And those that wish to be foul,
   Foul they will be, 
Remember. "

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