d be long sorry; but about the
furniture? What are they to begin the world wid?"

"Hut," said Devlin, "go to the sarra wid yez!--What 'ud they want, no
more nor other young people like them, to begin the world wid? Are you
goin' to make English or Scotch of them, that never marries till they're
able to buy a farm an' stock it, the nagurs. By the staff in my hand, an
Irish man 'ud lash a dozen o' them, wid all then prudence! Hasn't Phelim
an' Peggy health and hands, what most new-married couples in Ireland
begins the world wid? Sure they're not worse nor a thousand others?"

"Success, Antony," said Phelim. "Here's your health for that!"

"God be thanked they have health and hands," said Donovan. "Still,
Antony, I'd like that they'd have somethin' more."

"Well, then, Paddy, spake up for yourself," observed Larry. "What will
you put to the fore for the colleen? Don't take both flesh an' bone!"

"I'll not spake up, till I know all that Phelim's to expect," said
Donovan. "I don't think he has a right to be axin' anything wid sich a
girl as my Peggy."

"Hut, tut, Paddy! She's a good colleen enough; but do you think she's
above any one that carries the name of O'Toole upon him? Still, it's but
raisonable for you to wish the girl well settled. My Phelim will have
one half o' my worldly goods, at all evints."

"Name them, Larry, if you plase."

"Why, he'll have one o' the goats--the gray one, for she's the best o'
the two, in throth. He'll have two stools; three hens, an' a toss-up
for the cock. The biggest o' the two pots; two good crocks; three good
wooden trenchers, an'--hem--he'll have his own--I say, Paddy, are
you listenin' to me?--Phelim, do you hear what I'm givin' you, _a
veehonee?--his own bed!_ An' there's all I can or will do for him. Now
do you spake up for Peggy."

"I'm to have my own bedstead too," said Phelim, "an' bad cess to the
stouter one in Europe. It's as good this minute as it was eighteen years
agone."

"Paddy Donovan, spake up," said Larry.

"Spake up!" said Paddy, contemptuously. "Is it for three crowns' worth
I'd spake up? The bedstead, Phelim! _Bedhu husth_, (* hold your tongue)
man!"

"Put round the bottle," said Phelim, "we're dhry here."

"Thrue enough, Phelim," said the father. "Paddy, here's towarst you
an' yours--nabors--all your healths--young couple! Paddy, give us your
hand, man alive! Sure, whether we agree or not, this won't put between
us."

"Throth, it won't, Larry--an'