The Irish standard., 1886-07-03

tle LIS 6IOCS.
"Ladies and gentlemen" exclaimed
Lanty, stepping up on bench. and
still holding the bottle and glass in bis
hands, I'm goin to give ye toast, and
may the man's heart niver again warm
10 good nature, that doesn't drink it.
"3ilence, there, silence--till we hear
the tosiist. y
stop that fiddle there, and listen to
the spaker.' -
I "Here's then to the honest man, y
cried Lanty, raising mis- glass-''here's
to the honest man all over the world,
and confusion to the narrow-miDded
knave who'd make religion or birth
place test Of friendship" and tossing
off the bumper, he ordered the company
! to pass the bottle.
| Round went the toast, and OFF went
the glass with many loud hip, hip,
huxrah. All seemed joyous and happy
as they could wish to be, Weeks alone
excepted, who still stood in the centre
Of the crowd, looking silently on the
noisy enjoyments of the company, and
obstlnately refusing all participation in
| the hilarity OF ths occasion.
"Where, in the name Of patience, were
you born nt all,'' demanded the bailif,
| 'sthat you won's drink at a weddin?''
He's BIZ unpatural~]ooking thief,
any way,'' exclaimed another,
'sStand aside, boys" commanded
IAanty, waving his hand from his ele-
! vated position, sand let us give the
| stranger fair play. He's all alone here
amongst ua, and we mustn't be hard Oh!
him. Jenny Bragan, fill that glass,
! and offer it to him again. And now, NY
good man." he continued, addressing
| Weeks, ''you heerd the toast the hon
! est man all over the world, and had luck
to the knave who'd make religion or
birthplace q test of friendship, ,'-will
you drink it?''
''No.'' replied Weeks, "darr me it
do"
s'Then, gentlemen, lay him down and
administher the miticine."
Four OF five stout fellows now laid
hold Of the unfortunate Weeks, and
were deliberately proceeding to exeente
Lanty's orders, when new actor sad
denly appeared on the scene, and com.
1nanded them TO desist. 1t was the
handsome, dark~haired girl whom the
reader saw few minutes before enter
irg the room, leaning on Lanty's arm. -
"Sha1ne! shameE' she cried; ''are ye
men, to treat stranger in this way?
"Don;t be onnisy: Mary replied
Ianty; eve don't intend him the Taste
harm in life y
"Wel, you've carried the joke too fa1
already, I,anty Hanlon; let him come
with me~-I'll take care Of him.;
why, Mary, it's only bit of q
frolic he brought on himself. He tonld
me o dozen times the Irish were no
betther nor savages, and we jist want to
show him how much he's mistaken. y
ssAnd you do this to furriner, not a
month in the country; paugh! pretty
hospitality thatl''
"He's green, you know, Mary, and
we want to saison him."
''Tut, tut! shame, shame, shame!"
ssIt's for his own good-saisonin in
time will make dacent man iv him.
':Hould yer tongue, now Ianty; ye'd
provoke saint; hould your tongue, and
let us out. I must go and find some dry
clothes for him, Or he'll die in this con-
<lition. Stand back, gintlemen, if ye
plaze, and give us room to pass.
"Bedad, Mary, I'm afraid TO trust ye
with him; feth, may be he'd take fancy
to ye, and cut NE out
whist, now and let me go. That
tongue Of yours will hang ye up ON the
gallows yet, some day. and taking
Weeks tamiliarly by the arm, in she led
him INCREASINGLY from the crowd, and
disappeared through one of the inner
doors Of She apartment.
The dance was now resumed and
anirth and music made the time pass
quickly and merrily fer the next hour.
Lanty danced with every girl in the
room, ,1antl when he could no longer find
partner, he danced hornpipe himself
on a door, amid the shouts and cheers
OF the party, Every one seemed to
share in the general joy. Even the
grandparents of the happy couple, old
as they were, took each others hands,
and went through some ancient salta~
tions to the great amusement of the
younger spectators.
On went the mirth and up rose the
song, and tha little hunchback fiddler
had just tuned his instrument once
more, and commenced to rattle away at
country dance with renewed vigor,
when, all OF sudden, q shout was
heard at the door, followed instantly by