ighty
unnathural if it's not Judy I suspict. And where's the man that ye had,
Pat Rooney that was!"

"Get ye gone, ye baste," replied the amiable Misthress Wheelwright,
"you mallet-headed bog-throtter, to hinsult an honest woman all of a
suddint so. No gintilman would thrifle with a dacent woman afther this
gate, whin he'd niver seen her."

"Och, murther in Irish now, and it's the blissed thruth, Misthress
Judy, that I was tellin ye. But thin, such is the way of the
world--Saint Pathrick save us! If the crathur hadn't bin afther laving
her own husband, and runnin' off with Pat Rooney, may be that her
darlint ould mother's life would have bin extinded many years afther
her death--shame on the crathur! But thin, it's not the ould lady's
wake that would have bin the last that Thady O'Flannerty attinded in
Limerick--bad luck to her!"

Long before her unwelcome acquaintance had finished his oration,
however, the indignant lady had scampered into the house, slamming the
door after her with great violence, and dashing her pitcher of milk to
fragments by the same unguarded action. But Thady followed on, as
though to make good his acquaintanceship, and was met at the threshhold
by Wheelwright himself, who had been aroused by the clamor.

"And plase your honor," says Thady, "can you tell me where is Misther
Whalewright's boardin'-school that was, that's called the siminary that
is?"

"That _was_--sure enough,--said Wheelwright, bitterly. I 'spose this
is the place you're looking for as-like-as-not."

"Arrah, thin it's the right place that I'm already in--thanks to
Misthress Judy for that. And thin, there's a letter for your worship's
honor, and that's yer'self!"

Wheelwright took the despatch, and at once perceived from the
superscription, that it was a missive from his counsel. He was turning
upon his heel, but Thady, unwilling to retire without a fee, arrested
his retreat by saying:--

"Faith, thin, but I'm thinking your honor's mimory is none of the
longest, and that a thrifle of change would do me no harm for the
throuble I've had."

Wheelwright, hoping that he was the bearer of agreeable tidings from
his estates, threw him all but his last quarter, and Thady took his
leave with,

"Blissings on your honor, and long life to ye; and as your worship is a
civil-spoken gintilman, may be ye'll not think it bowld if I jist hint
to your honor, that if Misthress Judy there is a servant, she needs
looking to--and bad luc