nin', I can't tell
which, but be that as it may, it does not make anny difference, because
it's about what followed that yer honor wants for to know, when I heard
the horn of a fish-cairt in front of me door. Sez I to myself, Michael
has come wid the porgies. You see, your honor, Michael owns a
fish-cairt, and he sells fish, and what he doesn't sell he brings home
for us to ate. He towld me in the morning, that he would thry for to
save some of the porgies for dinner. Thin I wint out ov the door, and
sure enough it was Michael. 'Michael,' sez I; 'What,' sez he; 'Is it
here ye's air?' sez I; 'Sure it is,' sez he; 'Did you save the porgies?'
sez I; 'Av coorse I did,' sez he; and wid that he commenced takin' out
the fish from the cairt.

"_Judge._--What has all this to do with Timothy Mulrooney's offensive
conduct? you have not shown as yet that he has done anything wrong.

"_Witness._--Yer honor need have no fears but I'll convince yez that a
dirtier spalpeen nor him niver was allowed to go unhung among a dacent
people. (To the prisoner)--Ah, Tim, ye villain, I wondher that the ship
didn't sink wid ye on board when ye left the ould counthry; I'd like to
see ye show a receipt wid yer passage-money paid, ye--

"_Judge._--Madam, I must insist upon your addressing yourself to the
Court; you have no business to speak to the prisoner at all. Although he
may have done wrong, yet so long as he is in my presence he shall be
protected from the assaults of your tongue.

"_Witness_ (excited).--The assaults of me tongue! Howly St. Pathrick, do
ye hear that? Yer honor, I'm a dacint woman wid a family of childher and
divil a word was ever spoke against me charackther before.

"_Judge._--I said nothing against your character. I want you to confine
yourself to what Timothy Mulrooney did to disturb the peace and quiet of
your domicile.

"_Witness._--I will yer honor. It was on Friday mornin', or Saturday
mornin', I don't know which, but be that as it may, it don't make anny
difference, because it's about what followed that yer honor wants for to
know; ah, yer honor, I have it now--it was Friday mornin'--we was to
have porgies for dinner, and not mate, because it was Friday--

"_Judge._--All this is worse than nothing; you are taking up the time of
the court by your tedious talk, which, so far as I can see, has no
bearing whatever on the charge you have seen fit to make against this
man Timothy.

"_Witness._--Haven't I been trying