LXVIII
In the example that follows, a girl has been left to look after her little brother, and somebody reports that she has been “ill-treating,” i.e. beating him. So the message is sent back:—
[XML]
Tell Mary say,
no do Johnny so.
Oh!
Tell Mary say,
no do Johnny so.
“Tell Mary she is not to do Johnny so.” “To do a person something” is to do them an injury. “He so crahss” (cross), a boy will say of his master, “and I done him nothing,” or “I never do him one def ting,” a single thing. “Def” is emphatic, but is not a “swear-word.”
“Say” is often added in places where it is not at all wanted. It occurs again in:—