The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-23
DROLLERIES OF DONEGAL.
THE APPRENTICE THIEF.
BY sEUMAs MACMANUs.
Copyright. 1899. BY s. s. Mcclure Co.

was happy and contented. with LAWNS and
lashin's- plenty to ait and little TO do. and we
had our own kings half a dozen OF them in
every county-and our own :parlymint. and we
had mines OF oil sorts and dissertations. both
coal and copper and silver and Rooldand.
moro betoken. the guineas were as common
as tenpennies; and the farmers had fields OF
whate that IL was q days journey to walk
over. and the smell OF them was Almost
enough to satisfy hungry man. II the like
could be found in the kingdom but that would
be onpossihle. bnrrin' on a fast day. when the
ould:sinners that they .were.l they used 70
schame 1t 10y gOin out and snifthsrin' up tho
smell Of the whate. and nllin' themselves tho
villninsN that way till their fren's would
Almost have to sweet some Of them tthe bla'-
RuardsN with ropes. for lear they'd bust and
thesblight or the rot was niver known on the
praties aud they had taties that big tine cups
they called them that I:heerd me gran father
say that The hecrd his grandfather say
that he hecrd his great gran father II wish
him rsstD tellin' him that in the harvest time
they often scooped wan Of them out and put
to say in II to Ash for mackerel-and moro be-
token. the say In them days swarmed with
every description OF fsh that ever nut fin
In wather and the fishermsn.never nsed.hook
or net. but Just baied the fishes into their
boats with an ould bucket. Well. howandiver.
1t was In them glorus days OF full and plenty
that Billy Began lived as a sort OF a cotthar to
the King OF Donegal. and Billy had one son.
Jack. that turned out to be very handy like
with his.nngers when he wanted anything
that didn't belong to him. Well. that Jared
we'll till Jack grew up to be a stout. strappn'
able lump OF Rorshoon. when the King
comes to ould Billy, his father, to make com
plants on Jack. seem that he wasn't laiv-
ing. a movable thing about his castle or
grounds but he was hosting Off wild him.
Now. Billy Began" says the King. says he.
what is your son Jack.going to turn his
hands TOP"
Why. yer reverence" says Billy that way
back to him. 'throgs. I think hs'l-turn his
hand to ANYTHING you lave in his way"
och. know that" SAYS the King. SAYS he.
u my own cost: but mean to saw it's near
tlme YOU were thinkin Of Rivin him thrade.
for the short and the long Of It Is. that l won't
have him about my house or, place longer. I
caught him." saws he only last night thriving
to carry Off the best mare have in my stables.
Light foot. and that. you know. Is high
thrayson and ye know that the liehtcst pun
ishment for high thraysoE is to be burned.
leheaded and hung. But I'll pardon him on
conditions that YOU put him to a thrade ut
wanst. and that at the end of three years he'll
he 50 parfact at the thrade that cant puzzle
him In any three things I'll put afore him to
do; but if there's any one Of them he can't do.
he'll have to suffer his fate for high thravson."
why. yer Highness's reverence saws Billy.
'thc farms is mortal hard. stianliver we'll
have to do our best and sure the best can do
no more But.what thrade will prentice
him to?"
why. as for that" says the King. says he.
''ulaise yourself only mind nv unavoidable
conditions"
Well" says Billy. says he. In n brown study
that way. Il think the only thrade that ever
could make an honest thradesman out Of him
at would lie n thief. for think it's the only one
he has the inclination for
''plaiss yersef. Bilv.' says the King back
to him again. only mind my conditions"
Well. to make long story short. Billy
thramped of and found Jack. and Gould him
what the King CT the castle was afther saving.
We'll. father" saws Jack. says he. what
cant he cured must be endured. so you'd bet
Their be up betimcs In the mornin an come
along with me til we meet some daicent
thief that's masther OF his thrade that you'll
prentice me { =. for. between ourselves. l was
long swi,herin' to 20 an larn the thrade prop
erly. anyhow, for though they say that a self
made man Ia the best. still in this back ard
place one has to work under great many dis
advantages In the uphill part of the business.
one eve for couple Of good hints from pur-
nrIent in the tlradc.
40 sooner said than done. Jack and his
father took the road early next morn!n'. and
a weary travel they had Of ii that day through
a strange country till tor'st night thev came 70
an inn where there was entertainment for
man and haste and tor bows. too-and they put
up there that night and slept sound. can tell
We. and. moreover. whom Billy paid the land
lord the damage next mornin', doesn't my
brave Jack stale twicst as much back again
ont Of the I'LL before he LETT Well they start;
al r on md
who did they meet but :he mastRe rmSn thisi
lie gave Jack his plessin' and told him TO
ways keep before his eyes the fear Of what he'd
meet with from the King OF Donegal when
u sTck II hs wasn't nR maffHe tat Of hit
wouldn't be his fault or he'd know the ms and
the outs OF the business so far as the ould buff
Billy then set out for home again. and there
was nothing more heard of me brave Jack til
ath.I TIE end q he thTe. years 1H;k comes
toll you. was ieiigh ted to see him. lie hard
ly knew him. for he had grown to be as nne
and able looktn' man us you'd meet in the
arms about, him. have ye, Iarned.yer ,hrads;"
,"1acE. ahaskqy," says the father. you know
what the hing has promised II ye,re not able
10 40 tno tnTce 1nlnES no puts before yeg
Yes. father" says Jack. and III DO my
best TO do them and as yourself says, sure
the best can do no more"
Well..that evening the father took Jack up
to the castle. and when the King came out
he told him that this was Jack come home
again afther sarvin his premiership. and he
had the thrade back with him.
Why, Jack, saws the King. its welcome
ye are. in troth. ,Caed niUr ram" ,Ghud and
it's fresh and bloomin' we're lookiu'-what
speed did yer come at yer thrade;"
Why; thank 70 kindly. yer HiGhne;s." saws
i |
very fairly for my time at laiSt. that was my
Inasther,s oninion. and he's not the worst
Judge" for We sec. Jack was modest and didn't
care for putin and BLOWN about himself
We'll. it's well for ye. Jack says the King
back TO him. for the three thrials II put afore
You We will no miss. ! assure ye."
We'll, yer reverence saws Jack, III feel
honorcd to do what | can for ye, Would yer
Highness he pased 70 let me know the first
for it's as well TO get the unpleasant business
over at waustt
The first thing. Jack. you'll have to do"
SAYS the King. is this Tomorrow. morning
I'll send out a plough and two horses 10 plough
the tatts lleld at the back of the hill and I'll
spnl two man with them med q the