all rot, and spoke about the time when we
sowed two bushels of barley in the lower paddock and got a big stack of
rye from it.

The wedding was on a Wednesday, and at three o'clock in the afternoon.
Most of the people came before dinner; the Hamiltons arrived just after
breakfast. Talk of drays!--the little paddock could n't hold them.

Jim Mullins was the only one who came in to dinner; the others mostly
sat on their heels in a row and waited in the shade of the wire-fence.
The parson was the last to come, and as he passed in he knocked his
head against the kangaroo-leg hanging under the verandah. Dad saw it
swinging, and said angrily to Joe: "Did n't I tell you to take that
down this morning?"

Joe unhooked it and said: "But if I hang it anywhere else the dog'll
get it."

Dad tried to laugh at Joe, and said, loudly, "And what else is it for?"
Then he bustled Joe off before he could answer him again.

Joe did n't understand.

Then Dad said (putting the leg in a bag): "Do you want everyone to
know we eat it, ---- you?"

Joe understood.

The ceremony commenced. Those who could squeeze inside did so--the
others looked in at the window and through the cracks in the chimney.

Mrs. M'Doolan led Kate out of the back-room; then Sandy rose from the
fire-place and stood beside her. Everyone thought Kate looked very
nice----and orange blossoms! You'd think she was an orange-tree with a
new bed-curtain thrown over it. Sandy looked well, too, in his
snake-belt and new tweeds; but he seemed uncomfortable when the pin
that Dave put in the back of his collar came out.

The parson did n't take long; and how they scrambled and tumbled over
each other at the finish! Charley Mace said that he got the first
kiss; Big George said HE did; and Mrs. M'Doolan was certain she would
have got it only for the baby.

Fun! there WAS fun! The room was cleared and they promenaded for a
dance--Sandy and Kate in the lead. They continued promenading until
one of the well-sinkers called for the concertina--ours had been
repaired till you could get only three notes out of it; but Jim Burke
jumped on his horse and went home for his accordion.

Dance! they did dance!--until sun-rise. But unless you were dancing
you could n't stay inside, because the floor broke up, and talk about
dust!--before morning the room was like a drafting-yard.

It was a great wedding; and though years have since passed, all the
neighbours say still it