he put up at
an excellent inn, called the "Western Arms," kept by a man who was the
model of innkeepers, known by the sobriquet of "honest Peter Philips".
We need, not now recapitulate that with which the reader is already
acquainted; but we cannot omit describing a brief interview which took
place in the course of a few days after the restoration of the _Cooleen
Bawn_ to the perfect use of her reason, between two individuals, who,
we think, have some claim upon the good-will and good wishes of our
readers. We allude to Fergus Reilly and the faithful Ellen Connor.
Seated in a comfortable room in the aforesaid inn--now a respectable
and admirably kept hotel--with the same arms over the door, were the two
individuals alluded to. Before them stood a black bottle of a certain
fragrant liquor, as clear and colorless as water from the purest spring,
and, to judge of it by the eye, quite as harmless; but there was the
mistake. Never was hypocrisy better exemplified than by the contents of
that bottle. The liquor in question came, Fergus was informed, from
the green woods of Truagh, and more especially from a townland named
Derrygola, famous, besides, for stout men and pretty girls.

"Well, now, Ellen darlin'," said Fergus, "if ever any two bachelors *
were entitled to drink their own healths, surely you and I are. Here's
to us--a happy marriage, soon and sudden. As for myself, I've had the
patience of a Trojan."

*"Bachelor," in Ireland, especially in the country parts of
it, where English is not spoken correctly, is frequently
applied to both the sexes.

Ellen pledged him beautifully with her eyes, but very moderately with
the liquor.

"Bedad!" he proceeded, "seven years--ay, and a half--wasn't a bad
apprenticeship, at any rate; but, as I tould Mr. Reilly before he left
the country--upon my sowl, says I, Mr. Reilly, she's worth waitin' for;
and he admitted it."

"But, Fergus, did ever any thing turn out so happy for all parties? To
me it's like a dream; I can scarcely believe it."

"Faith, and if it be a dhrame, I hope it's one we'll never waken from.
And so the four of us are to be married on the same day; and we're all
to live with the squire."

"We are, Fergus; the Cooleen Bawn will have it so; but, indeed, her
father is as anxious for it almost as she is. Ah, no, Fergus, she could
not part with her faithful Ellen, as she calls me; nor, after all,
Fergus, would her faithful Ellen wish to part with h