The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-10-10

him to their own cart. The pony was
for sale, and their prospective purchase
| was to bring them home.
| The way was long, the pony was
old, and the fair was already in full
| swing when the eager couple arrived.
! Mickey Immediately treated. himself to
a glass of whisky and porter, and, up
lifted by the beverage and the delight
ful sensation of having unspent money
in his pocket, he drifted off into the
horse park as happy as a king.
There he encountered various ac-
quaintances, and rambled about pass
ing his opinion ON animals with i'm
| mense gravity; sharply criticis1ns
! shapes and breeding, leaping and action
! precisely as If he were wealthy Dub
| lin dealer come to collect hunters for
the show" instead of poor laboring-
man with the price of an ass in his
pocket.
He talked big, he staggered here, and
he staggered there, with his hands
clasped under his coat tails and straw
in his mouth.
He priced a bToken-down thorough
bred in an offhand lordly manner,
wrenched open the jaws of an ind1g-
nant polo pony, and glared into her
mouth. He surveyed an outstanding
young hunter with a severely suspi-
cious eye and passed disparaging re-
marks upon his ribs and his ancestors.
"Begorra, tbs you as knows a good
horse when he see him." exclaimed one
of Mickey's companions
"Faix, I'd rather take Mickey Sulli-
vans opinion of colt than Tim Ma
I Lo,sC ory dow aDQt her
'Augh. Tim Maher!'' protested a
third. with lofty scorn. What does he
know of the grass of a goose?"
Anyhow, he's a terrible stern hand
at a bargain I've known him to drive
colt home fourteen mile, all on &C
count av half-a-crown as was between
him and a Tralee dealer"
Meanwhile Mickey and his satellites
strolled through the fair, and still no
animal found favor in his eyes.
The day was sultry, and when the
party drew near the Three Shamrocks
Mickey cordially exhorted his acqualn1-
ances to "come in and let him see II
any of them had mouth on him"
Which invitation was, needless to say,
accepted without effusion.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Sullivan was also
enjoying herself prodigiously among
the matrons of her acquaintance IL
was the essence of a whole London sea-
son compressed into a few hours. she
talked over matches" the shocking
price of butter and the terrible fall in
pigs; she accepted cup of tea from
one friend and a glass Of sherry wine
from another Qeaving, according to po-
lite custom, a certain portion In the
glass;; she made several cautious pur-
chases and at 5 o'clock set out in search
of Mickey.
She soon discovered him in his glory,
the center of smiling crowd; he was
bargaining with bearded stranger for
a somewhat dilapfdated animal, cast
from the Kenmare hearse.
us it a harse as yer losin' your time
over, Mickey" she expostulated in her
shrillest key 'An' what would we do
with a great black haste like that, as
would neither fit in the car nor the
byre, and would just ate us out av
house and home9'
ooh, he's a fine haste, and, barrin
couple av splints and a back sinew, has
a power av work in him yet, rejoined
Mickey. Sure, won't I hire him out
for blowing, and in the saison he can
carry the ladies through the gap, an
always great show for the money
ga show yourself; don't be going on
wild yer blathering and nonsense; 1t
an ass we came to buy, and not big
elephant like that. The fair is thin
MIN. old Tim has got shut av his pony,
so We best to buy something to take US
home; I'll be no party to harse-dealng
and hiring out and when We have the
right size of haste We will find me and
the cart at Mrs. Floods" and with an
angry toss of her yellow head and
whisk of her blue cloak Mrs. Sullivan
fell back into the crowd, leaving very
favorable impression upon the women
folk, although one bold bachelor called
out: "Sure what do We want with the
ould hearse horse at all, Mickey, or any
horse whatever, when We have such an
elegant gray mare av yer own?
An hour later Mickey arrived at
Floods, jubilant and talkative, followed
by two men leading a smart-look1ng
brown ass.
Here We are, Bridget he screeched.
Eve waited to good purpose, We see;
I've been and bought the gayest little
donkey in Munster
AN time for ye,' rejoined his better
half "Sure, every wan is going. How
much?"
'aThree pounds five shillings. I bet
them down from f5, and they were
axing f5 10 shillings.''
ooh, AKIN is one thing and gettln
another. How old is hep"
He's four off, man," replied his
former owner a decent-looking man in
frieze. land he is we'll used to a fami-
ly. and / know he will Civ ye every sat
isfaction; we have only to spake to him,
and, whoopl away he goes! Fax, I'll
go bail that within the week We will be
looking on him as an ould friend"
In ten minutes time Neddy was in
the shafts and Micky Sullivan, having
taken a potent stirrup cup, relinquished
the rope reins to his consort, who was
a donkey driver of no mean slzill-there
was no stronger wrist to chuck a
mouth, no keener eye for a vulnerable
place in an animals hide than hers in
the whole barony.
However, the new purchase required
neither prodding nor other modes of
persuasion, but took the road in gallant
style, leaving a considerable circle of
admirers around the door of the Three
Shamrocks. He travelled well, and at
y O'Clock at night brought his new
owners safe and sound to the door of
their own crooked cabin
Judy, hearing the wheels, ran out
with a candle in her hand to welcome
her parents and their purchase and by
the light of her dip accorded the warm