Evening star., 1899-07-29

name was WnIie-and he was notorious
over all Ireland for the dhrinkin'. sportin'
way he spent all of his Hfe-and it was
ofteh ana often prophesied for him that
he d never come till good ending. He had
come of good family, and besides his
thrade-which was in them days profess
sion for genteman-his people had left
to him great properties, both in houses and
in lands. But all these properties Willie
very soon drunk and sported away-and all
melted like Snow in summer. When it come
to that he had only his trade. Willie had
purity hard times of it, for he didn't like to
work, and he didn't care to starve-and he
found it purtillilarly hard to have no money
to sport and spend, as he was used to do.
He worked as little as he could, but he
wanted as much ever; so things went on
from bad to worse, and his chances of
thrade even was lawn him, for no wan
could be sartin whether he'd oblige them or
refuse them accordingly as the mood was
on him) when they'd bring a horse to shoe
or plow to mend. And a long and last
wan mornin' that he had got no breakfast,
bekase he had neither money nor means.
he was standin' leanin' against his own
forge door, with his heart in his boots,
and he wondherin' what was he ever born
for, anyhow, an debatin with himself
whether dhrOwndin' or hangin would be
the laist troublesome daith. when all at
wanst he hears the noise of hoofs, and up
there rides a grand gentleman entirely,
mounted on a great black charger.
And ''Helloa, Willie" says he. What are
ye down in the mouth about this morn
IN Ae look as lorn as a March grave
yard"
Small wonder l would" says Willie says
he. "and if you had the same raison it's
not such spruce jaunty-looking gentle
man you'd be this mornin.''
I'm martial sorry for ye Willie" says
the gentleman. Can help ye?''
Il dar' say ye could, but l don't expect
yer would" says Willie.
Don't be so sartin of that says the gem
tlemau. what is it ye need?"
Money says Willie, AN plenty of it,
How much of it?' says the gentleman.
"Och, roomfu,'' says Willie, that way,
careless
We'll. roomful," says the gentleman.
says he. you'll have-on wan condition.
And what is the condition. says Willie,
says he. brghtenn' UP.
It's this says the gentleman, that
you'll consent to give yerse!f to me and
come with me in a year and a day from
now"
At this Willie's eye went down and caught
sight of one of the gentieman's feet an he
seen it was cloven. "Phew!' says Willie,
says he, is that how the hare sits?'
It's d grand offer" says the gentleman.
Just this minute ye were plannin' how
ye'd do away with yerself. Its cowl COM
fort to go out of the wurrr d hungry
belly. Here ye have the offer of a roomful
of money an a whole year to spend and
sport it. Think of all the fun ye'd get out
Of a roomful of money in twelve months
and a day.
''Thrue for ye," says Willie; its bar
gain
Willie he pitched upon the greatest room
in a kings oul' castle that stood in the
neighborhOod an told the devil (for it was
himself and none other was in III to go
ahead and fill it 1t wasn't any use, at all,
at all, for the devil to object that it was
one of Wiilies own rooms he meant. "Ye
should always say what We mean and
mean what ye say" says Willie. "Ye
have bargained to fill me a room with gold
There's the room-fill it, or else never
afther want to be thought a gentleman of
your word" This Went sore on the devil
bekase, of all things, he prides himself
bein a gentleman of his word; SO he
agreed. But though he wrought hard from
early mornin' till late at night of a long