work when the evening drew on, and dressed himself like an old bucaugh,* with a tattered frieze coat about him, and stockings without any soles to 'em, with an old caubean of a straw hat upon the side of his head, and a tin can under his arm. 'Tis what he had in the tin can, I tell you, was a good sup of spirits, with a little poppy juice squeezed into it, to make them sleepy that would be after drinking it. Well and good, Minny, my child, he made towards the gentleman's house, and when he was passing the parlour window, he saw a beautiful young lady, as fair as a lily, and with a fine blush, entirely sitting and looking out about the country for herself. So he took off his hat, and turned out his toes, and made her a low bow, quite elegant. I declare to my heart,' says the young lady, speaking to her servant that stood behind her, 'I wouldn't desire to see a handsomer man than that.-If he had a better shoot of clothes upon him, he'd be equal to any gentleman, he's so slim and delicate.' And who was this but the gentleman's daughter all the while! Well, it's well became Mun, he went on to the stable door, and there he found the lads all watching the racer. I'll tell you the way they watched her. They had one upon her back, and another at her head, where she was tied to the manger, and a great number of them about the place, sitting down between her and the door. 'Save all here!' says Mun, putting in his head at the door; 'E', what are ye doing

* A lame man-idiomatically, beggar-man.

here, boys?' says he. So they up and told him they were guarding the racer, from a great Kerry thief they expected to be stealing her that night. Why then, he'll be a smart fellow, if he gets her out of that,' says Mun, making as if he knew nothing. I'd be for ever obliged to ye, if ye'd let me light a pipe and sit down awhile with ye, and I'll do my part to make the company agreeable.' 'Why then,' says they, we have but poor treatment to offer you, for though there's plenty to eat here, we have nothing to drink-the master wouldn't allow us a ha'p'orth, in dread we'd get sleepy, and let the horse go.' 'Oh! the nourishment is all I want,' says Mun, 'I'm no way dry at all.' Well and good, in he came, and he sat among them telling stories until past midnight, eating and laughing; and every now and then, when he'd stop in the story, he'd turn about and make as if he was taking a good drink out of the can. You seem to be very fond of that tin can, whatever you have in it;' says one of the men that was sitting near him. 'Oh, its no signify,' says Mun, shutting it up as if not anxious to share it. Well, they got the smell of it about the place, and 'tis little pleasure they took in the stories after, only every now and then throwing an eye at the can, and snuffing with their noses, like pointers when game is in the wind. 'Tis n't any spring water you'd have in that, I believe,' says one of them. 'You're welcome to try it,' says Mun, ' only I thought you might have some objection in regard of what you said when I came in.'

'None in the world,' says they. So he filled a few little noggins for 'em, and for the man on the horse, and the man near the manger, and they all drank until they slept like troopers. When they were all fast, up got the youth, and he drew on a pair of worsted stockings over every one of the horse's legs, so they wouldn't make any noise, and he got a rope and fastened the man I tell you was upon the racer's back, by the shoulders, up to the rafters, when he drew the horse from under him, and left him hanging fast asleep. Well became him, he led the horse out of the stable, and had him home at his father's while a cat would be shaking his ears, up comfortably in a little out-house.

and made

Well,' says the

old man, when he woke in the morning and saw the horse stolen-if it was an angel was there,' says he, he couldn't do the business cleverer than that.' And the same thing he said to the landlord, when he met him in the field the same morning. It's true for you, indeed,' said the gentleman, 'nothing could be better done, and I'll take it as an honour if your son and yourself will give me your company at dinner to-day, and I'll have the pleasure of introducing him to my daughter.' E', is it me dine at your honour's table?' says the old man, looking down at his dress. 'Tis just,' says the gentleman again, and I'll take no apology whatever.' Well and

good, they made themselves ready, the two of them, and young Mun came riding upon the racer, covered all over with the best of wearables, and looking like a real

gentleman. E,' what's that there, my child?' says the father, pointing to a gallows, that was planted right opposite the gentleman's hall door. 'I don't know-a gallows, I'm thinking,' says the son,-'sure 'tisn't to hang us he would be after asking us to his house, unless it be a thing he means to give us our dinner first and our dessert after, as the fashion goes,' says he. Well, in with them, and they found the company all waiting, a power of ladies and lords, and great people entirely. 'I'm sorry to keep you waiting,' says Mun, making up to them, quite free and easy, but the time stole upon us.' • You couldn't blame the time for taking after yourself,' says the gentleman. 'It's true, indeed,' says Mun, 'I stole many is the thing in my time, but there's one thing I'd rather thieve than all the rest-the good will o' the ladies,' says he, smiling, and looking round at them. Why then, I wouldn't trust you very far with that either,' says the young lady of the house. Well and good, they sat down and they eat their dinner, and after the cloth was removed, there was a covered dish laid upon the table. Well,' says the gentleman, I have one trial more to make of your wit-and I'll tell you what it is:let me know what is it I have in this covered dish; and if you don't, I'll hang you and your father upon that gallows over, for stealing my racer.' 'O, murther! d'ye hear this?' says the father- and wasn't it your honour's bidding to steal her, or you'd hang us? Sure we're to be pitied with your honour,' says the poor old man.

Very well,' says the gentleman, 'I tell you a fact, and your only chance is to answer my question.' 'Well, sir,' says Mun, giving all up for lost, I have nothing to say to you-although far the fox may go, he'll be caught by the tail at last.' 'I declare you have it,' says the gentleman, uncovering the dish, and what should be in it only a fox's tail! Well, they gave it up to Mun, that he was the greatest rogue going, and the young lady married him upon the spot. They had the master's estate when he died; and if they didn't live happy, I wish that you and I may."

"Amen to that, aunt. Will you lay this mirror aside

for a moment.- Ha! whose fault was that?"

Oh, Minny, you have broken the mirror — O, my child! my child!"

66

Why so! It is not so valuable."

"Valuable! It is not the worth of the paltry glass, darling, but don't you know it is not good? It is not lucky-and the night before your bridal, too!"

"I am very sorry for it," said the girl, bending a somewhat serious gaze on the shattered fragments of the antique looking-glass. Then, by a transition which it would require some knowledge of the maiden's history to account for, she said, "I wonder if Cormac was with the Knight, when he made the sally at the castle, yesterday."

The answer of the elderly lady was interrupted by the sound of several voices, in an outer apartment,