The Irish standard., 1886-05-01

hour to recover breath after climbing
those villainous steps. Heigh-ho! and so
you're an American citizen
"Well, yes; have that honor sir"
"Right, sir,---and it is al honor---no
doubt of it. But how warm it is-eh?'
and he snatched off his stock and wiped
his face with his handkerchief. ssIts
those outrageous stairs-eh! Besides, I'm
not feather weight either, suppose.
Humphp' he added, glancing over at
his companion, you have the advantage
of me there, sir-you're thin.''
''Rather, rather inclined that way
modestly replied Weeks, playing with
his watch-chain.
$50 much the better. sir, SO much the
better; you've in a more comfortable
condition.
"Well, as to the Weeks side Of the
house" observed the American by way
of explanation, they were never what
you might call feshy people; but tie
Bigelows were about the largest boned
men in all Connecticut. There was my
mothers cousin, for example, one Nath-
an Bigelow--''
'B1 the lord Harry, he is at Nathan
again!'' came rumb1ing along the hall, in
the deep tones OF the burly light-keeper
as he hurried in from the tower to well
come his friends.
Fortunately, however, Mr.. Weeks
was at that moment in the act Of speak
ing, SO that it was quite impossible for
him to distinguish the words; otherwise
he had understood better the comic smile
on Captain Petersham's face, as that
gentleman twirled his thumbs and gazed
over at him from his easy chair.
s'Let me see; you re somewhere about
five feet eleven inclles-ain't you?"
eyes, thereabouts.
"We]l---now, as to the weight, reck-
on you're two hundred, OF choke up to
it.''
every likely---I might be three, for
aught L Know replied the captain,
laughing.
"Wen, cousin Nathan was taller by
nearly two inches, and mother says be-
fore he lost his eye on muster day he
weighed close on two twenty-five. Still,
oo,,c;r, No+Iop72
'sHilloa, there! hilloa,9 Roger
O'Shaughnessy,' broke in the light
keeper again; care we never to see that
brandy and water? Come along, man;
only lift your feet, and they'll fall them
selves.''
cay, ay,'' 1nuttered the old man,
shambling into the room in his bottle
green livery with the faded lace and the
two solitary buttons, carrying mas
siye silver salver, on which appeared
three t,lmb1ers and q decanter with
something resembling brandy on the
bottom of it. cay, ay'' said ne, it's al
ways the same ust for all tie world as
if he was home in his ould castle. Height
height It's nothing but Roger here and
ger---Roger, bring the yenison; Roger
where is the champagne? Roger, where
is the Burgundy? Roger, order this
lords carriage, and Roger, order that
ady's barouche Heigh, heigh, height"
Here he was seized by fit of coughing
which had the good effect Of terminating
lis catalogue of complaints. "Och,
och!" said he at length when he recov-
cred little breath, ''the Lord be with
:,e time, Captain Petersham (bowing
With great fornnality to that gentleman
when Roger had plenty of servants to
Lssist him. But sure there's NO help
or it now, and as L burned the candle
nust burn the inch;" and the old man
urned to quit the room.
''stop, Roger; hold on; what have you
;ot here?" demanded the l1ght-keeper,
.olding up the decanter between him
nd the light.
'There, sir?''
eyes, here, sir; look at it"
'Why, it's brandy, av coorse-what
lse shud it be? But may be it's wine,
er honor wants---ugh! ugh! what kind
' wine id you like, sir? Til bring it
immediately
"Wine! you old schemer, you know
here's not drop Of wine in the house, {
ssMe!'
Gay, you; you know it well---nor
asn't been these twelve months. F" 1
s'Och, och, the Lord luck to us!' ex-
laimed Roger, raising his hand in |
rave astonishment; s'lt's wonderful
entirely. His nlimory's
lane gone, sir, burning to Captain
It's only the matther of s
our week, or SO, since we got--let me t
ahem! 1.-two pipes iv claret- l
ne Madeira" and he began to count on l
is fingers" "ahem! two iv claret---one
1edeira---One---"
ssDon't mind him, don't mind him.