The Argosy — page 331: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

312 Shrové-Tide in Ireland. myself, sure enough, your honour, but niver a one of my boys. So I thought I’d bring ’em all wid me, just to show them ignorant Carties I had the finest four lads in the counthry.” The boys in question ranged in age betwixt thirty and forty, and had families of their own. ‘They were introduced to us. ‘Their old father was a great friend and admirer of his young mistress. A few months later he was taken with his death sickness—a bad attack of bronchitis. The young lady was very sorry, and sent him down some jujubes, following them herself next day. ‘‘ Well, Darby, and I hear you are very il! Iam so grieved. Did you take those things IJ sent you down, and did they do you good ?” The poor old gentleman lay smothering in his dirty bed, himself the dirtiest and most miserable thing in the house; but he must have his joke to the last, and this time it was a pathetic one. “ Faith, thin,” he muttered, ‘sure they did. And I’m thinkin’, faith, that, though I’m an ugly ould savage of a lad, anything your honour gave me would do me good; an’ if ’twas a kiss from your honour ’twould maybe set me up altogether.” His old wife was so shocked at this sally that the young lady had to retire as soon as might be, for quietness sake. This old lady had a favourite hen, and when Darby had died she attached herself to it very exclusively, and would take it with her to hear mass. One day, unfortunately, while the office was proceeding, Mrs. Hen laid an egg, and talked too loudly of her performance. When next the priest met her he requested that in future the old woman should leave her pet at home. < ‘Sure maybe, your rivirence, ’tis the way the neighbours might steal it off me.” “Well, then, keep it quiet in future under your cloak, Biddy.” And she did so. EMRNIELOIOOKS EO)