The Mayor of Xmastime Would Very Much Like You to Know He's Reading a Book (eyeroll emoji explodes)

On one hand I'm re-discovering the fact that no author has ever made characters who made me just scream at a book quite like Thomas Hardy has; on the other hand I'm gonna be looking for any chance to oh-so-matter-of-factly drop "some folk want their luck buttered" into normal conversation.

(ALSO, listen to that phrasing - is that yet another British/American South connection????!!??)