"So we got in, however, and he groped about, and he found a flint-andsteel, And he skinned his ould knuckles all like a priddha peel, Streck-streckin' away; and, when he gor a light at last, 2 "And It's too late,' he says, 'it's too late for supper, I suppose' And ye might have sniffed and sniffed till ye straint your nose Afore you'd ha' got a smell of supper in yandhar place But he turned at last, and I saw his face You navar seen such a rookery. A dresser Workin', workin', workin', most terrible, there was 180 Yis-but hardly a plate or a bason, or any other surt o' war', And a hape of mouldy turmits3 in a corner there could, comfortless things they are And a rot-hole, or a shot-hole, I don't know which, and I don't care etha',5 And a barrel that looked like male, with a flag or a slate on the top of it, and a medha," And a pot, and nothin' in it, and no fire, if there had been, and as for bed or beddin' Well, I dedn' throuble, no, faith, I dedn'. And screwin' the eye, and workin' still And 'Let's sit down a bit,' he says, and he studdied the candle, if ye plaze, and he looks up as innocent as a linnet, 200 And he says, 'That's a nice puss you've got,' he says; 'how much is there in it?' And I tould him £4: 16s. and 21⁄2d. farlin' So he says, 'That's a nice little bit o' money, my darlin' Let's see it,' he says. So I gev it to him, ye know; And he counted it out, I tell ye, every coin of it, very slow Very slow he counted-and then-what d'ye think? Whips it in his pocket! 'A nice lump of jink!' Says Dan; and he snuggled up closer to me, and he began to fiddle and fiddle, Lek tryin' to span me round the middleSome surt o' coortin'? thinks I, he's improvin', I doubt 210 The ould villyan! He was just tryin' to find out Had I any more stitched up in my stays! And a man with such waysWould you call him a man? now would ye, Misthriss? would ye, though? That was the fiddlin'-aye! he said it, he said it hisself, the ould crow! Yis, and his dirty ould mouth all of a pucker, and grippin' and nippin', And declarin' he felt the shillin's slippin' "I says "This is no place for me,' I says; and up I jumps 'I'm off,' I says; and he rattles his ould stumps And-Off?' he says 'Why you've not opened your box yet!' 'Clear out o' the road!' I says. 'I hevn' scen your frocks yet,' He says, 'nor the sheetin' nor nothin'! just give us that key It's every bit my proppity!' he says. 'Out o' the way!' I says, and I gript the box. But if I gript it, he gript it, and he shouted "And the crockery-what there wasall smashed-well to be sure! And the turmits rowlin' on the floorSo the box was mine, and I out on the door. 'Murdher! tieves!' and he run after me full trot 'You're a robber!' he says; 'you've robbed me! everything you got Belongs to me-I'll bring a shuit,' he says; 'I'll bring a shuit For damagers!' he says-the ould brute'I'll have your life!' he says, 'Ar'n' you my wife?' he says 240 'Murdher!' he says, 'murdher!' 'Murdher-your granny,' And I left him standin' in the road; and here I am, as you see And, Misthriss! no more weddin's, aw good sakes! no, no more weddin's for me!" JOSEPH CAMPBELL (1881- > THE HORSE-BREAKER A good nag knows the sinewy grip As what you break. To-day I spied The chaser's found the other side. THE NEWSPAPER-SELLER (Times Square, New York, about t o'clock on a winter's morning.) I says 'Good-bye, Dan Cowle! good- And how is Cabey's Lane? bye, Danny!' I'm forty years left Ennis, sir, |