'"I just went down the Post an' when I come back it was as flat as this 'ere wharfside - there was just my 'ouse like-well, part of my 'ouse. My sissus were just making me a cup of tea for when I come 'ome. She were in the passage between the kitchen and the wash-'ouse, where it blowed 'er. She were burnt right up to 'er waist. 'Er legs were just two cinders. And 'er face... The only thing I could recognize 'er by was one of 'er boots... I'd 'ave lost 15 'omes if I could 'ave kept my missus. We used to read together. I can't read mesen. She used to read to me like. We'd 'ave our arm-chairs one either side o' the fire,. And she read me bits out o' the paper. We 'ad a paper every evening. Every evening.'