The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1909-10-09

man. hawker-in his day, ana
having now. in the evening Of his life.
settled down with Nancy. in . COM
Portable cottage in Cornakelly, rent
ed at no less than sixpence week.
was looked up to as an authority OF
much weight on all subjects that
cropped up in our local debates. from
divinity and medicine down to cock
fighting. He nightly expounded the
law and the prophets to an interested
and admiring audience of good Corn
akelly folk, and when weightier sub
jects tagged and the temper Of his
audience required 1t he entertained
them to q wonderful tale drawn from
his inexhaustible store of personal
reminiscences-be the same truthful
or otherwise. And we loved to listen
to him. This Is one of the tales he
used to tell:
We'll. suppose it's now near about
let me sec, FIVE, or maybe l might
say. six, an thirty years ago that l
was one night belated on me thravels
in the County Monaghan. in a purity
lonely country about half-a-score
miles from the place they call Car.
rickmacross. l pushed on an on.
strikin up q whistle for company
sake, an thraveled on an on. naith-
ier meetin' luck nor a likely place. till
ltors't 70 o'clock. when l dhrew on q
light that saw about ten parches on
the road. maxim up me mind to go
NO farther that night. even If had
to sleep in a byre. When l got close
IkSSN tho ~ N~h tha
door showed me a horse ready sad
died standin' by, when out comes an
elderly man. Meself remained in the
shade Of the hedge till he passed, an
then lifted the latch an walked into
the house.
"'sakes alive!' says the girl. start
in; who are we, or where did ye come
from, or what do ye want?'
"'Well.' says l, YEN excuse me. 1
know, answerin' all yer questions at
once. But regardin' the first. I'm
world an Condy Dhu to my aiquals.
l come from as good a county as is to
be found In Ireland-if not betther-
the County of Dinnygal. An as to
where I'm goin', can't give ye q
straight answer, for l lost me way
an am wandherin' about for the past
two hours with more turns an twists
than dhrimin dhun's tail on hot day.
But hope I'll be able, with yer kind
permission. to set meself down in a
corner here an wait for mornin'.'
But she raised such a roolye-
boolye, an commenced maxim such a
sore lament, that meself hoists me
pack on me back in the divil of fine
humor, an wishin' her pleasant
dhreams-from me teeth out left
the house an commenced pokin' about
for byre or barn where could keep
a corner Of the floor warm till morn
in. But. avic, wasn't scarcely out
as long as the routin' of cow when
l found knock at the door. an it
was opened by the girl. an there
saw fine young fella at 1t, with the
appearance of sarvint boy.
Both of them retired inside. an
they closed the door; an l know 1t
was wrong. but couldn't resist 1t
] stole to the window at the other end
of the house to watch the proceedin's.
She first hauled out a kilt goose from
where 1t was hid undher some straw,
an both Of them took to the pluckin'
Of 1t for life an death, an they put
1t in the pot over roarin' fire till
they give 1t good plump of boil
An when 1t was done she put 1t on
the table, an beside 1t a big loaf. an
beside that he put black bottle of a
very respectable size that he had in
l. NJ tnn
me teeth to watch the two Of them
sittin' down to the feed.
But maybe 1t wasn't the delight
to me to hear. afore the two watches
had right begun to enjoy their feed,
the thramp of the horse comm back
to the house-an' this nearly as good
as an hour afore his time. In another
minnit saw that they heerd it, too.
run for yer life,' SEE she.
Hell meet me II go out seq he
Nellie murther!'
"'Undher that heap of straw with
ye, for Hiven's sake says She
Under a heap of straw beside the
door he got, an she had only Just got
the black bottle hid up the chimbly,
an the loaf under a tin basin on the
dresser. an the goose undher creel,
when in walks the man of the house;
an meself didn't wait for him to be
In long till walks in afther him with
the pack on me back. He turned an
he looked at me.
"'Who are ye. or where are ye go.
fn'?' says he.
isn't 1t the grand night entirely,
Lord be thankit,' says I. layin' down
me pack coolly in the corner an
dhrawin' forrit chair to the fire.
"'Well. that's what call deuced
COOL says he, lookin' hard at meself.
where do ye come fromf
"'Dinnygal,' says I.
'Freemasons there?' says he.
"'No end OF Them says I.