Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-09-25

sailor, and when he got to the handle he sat
down straddlo-legs on it as iii we're horse;
and taking little pipe. lac put it TO his
button-holc of mouth, and begun smoking
away, and you would think that every blast
that came from him was big hay-rick or
fire. After taking two or three whlils, and
nearly binding me with the smoke, he said
as he laid his fiery little eyes on me,
"Good-morrow, and better luck to you,
Dennis Mullaly."
"Good-morrow, and God save you kind
ly," l answered.
"H you be after saying such word to me
again, you Unlocking thief" he roarcd out,
jumping up on the spade handein rage, elf
you say that word again TO me, I'll knock
you into nonsense, and split you up like sha-
wings ~
"Why, then, WON'T" said |, "if it dis
pcascs your reverence"
"Thc creature of an atomy sat down again
on the spade handle, from which his taste Of
legs were hanging, like two little red threads,
and after taking two or three whlfls more, he
again fixed on me his two little eyes which
were sparkling like the shot of burning tobacco
in his pipe.
"You were wishing for something, Dem
MIS-" said he.
"lt's that was, your reverence, and if
it's not disp!casing to you, | was wishing for
the loan of fairy's purse for few hours"
answered.
"Bad luck to your impudcnco ~ hc re-
piled.
"Will nothing less than fairy's purse
answer such spalpecn; and supposing
now, Dennis, l was to lend it to you,
what would you give me in return for it :"
"Then totcll your honor the TRUTH" said,
81 would give you my hand and word would
return it to YOU"
III don't care a throwneen," says he, "for
your dirty word; but will you give me your
hand :"
81 will sir" exclaimed, 81 will give you
my hand that III return the purse to you.'
"Why, then, may be, said the cute little
villain, "you'd never be able to return it to
me I; but will you give me your hand on it,"
81 never saw what the viper was diving
at, and without at all thinking of what was
doing, bawlcd out-"By this and BY that,
| if you lend me the purse for three hours
do give you my hand"
"Thc bite of a thief's eye glistcncd and
elimmered like two stars in clear frosty
night.-He jumped up, put his pipe in his
pocket, and clapped his hands to his ribs,
which were no bigger than the bones of a
small gudgeon, gave a "ho! no! ho!" of a
laugh SO loud and so long that thought he
would split up like adry straw that you touch
with your nail.-llis laughing continued so
long that he at last fell off the handle of the
spade. Twas sure his neck was cracked, and
was going to pick up his trihe of carcass,
when | saw-him float to the ground as soft,
as easy, as quiet, and as gentle as thistle
down which now scars, and then sinks to the
earth with the seed it has to plant there.
"fou have given nc your hand" says he,
"and here's the purse for you; it's little |
| think you'll have to brag about it,"
"Where's the purse, sir :" said I.
"lIcrc," he answered, "hcre you omedaun,
pull the red boot of my right leg, that's the
purse for you"
"By dad, your reverence" SAID I, IL
often heard Of making purse Of sow's ear,
but never before was told of purse manu-
featured out of a lcprechaun's leg
"Nonc Of your impudence, you born ma
tural," he cried out in fury, "nonc of your
impudcncc, but pull away at my leg, as If
the dickens was standing in YOU"
81 got one hold of the little chaps leg, and
maybe did not make him scrcech MURDER
lpullcd and pulled, until lifted him clean
of the ground, and at last raised him SO
high that shook him out of his boot as clean
as you would shot, out of bottle. looked
to see If he was hurt, but the instant the very
end of his toe was out Of his boot, you might
as well expect to see grasshoppcr in snow
as to see the little gentleman in the field.
There l had the purse, however, and a
mighty small one it was so to see if there
was any goodin it, put down my finger into
it, and found in the bottom small, beau
tiiul, sparkling, glistcnng gold half.gunca.
took that out, and put it into my waistcoat
pocket. "Tha,'s good" says l to myself.
put down my finger again, and forked up
another half-guinea, and put that also into my
waistcoat. put down my hand again, and
there was third and never stopped put
ting my hand into the purse, and taking out
gold half-guincas, until my waistcoat poke,
was as full of gold as fresh female herring
is full Of pea. "Oh +! Judy, judy" says i,
Sin three hours we'll be as rich as the arch
bishop of Cashcl, and to be sure we wont have
lashins and leavins at our wedding. Ill Just
90 this minute into Tom Cassidy's shop
Tom was behind the counter, and ordered
him to make me ten suits of cloths, and to
send home to Judys the making of twenty
cloaks, besides gowns, pctticoats, stockins,
and shoes galore.
"Ah, then, where is the money to como
frem :" says Tom, who was hard, dry,
crooked-noscd old codgcr, that would skin a
flint lift were possible.
"Where!" said !, "srrc here it is, and
more when want," upon that pulled ifs,
full of halt-guineas, and spread them out on
the counter before him, thinking he would
be wanting me to take all that was in his
shop; but instead of that he looked at the
gold, and then asked me i'll was gone crazy
"Not bit," answered |, nor conccited either
with my riches, and can tell you too, that
where | got that gold there is plenty more Of