dulent expenses for security. From others he
got property of all descriptions; from some, butter, yarn, a piece of
frieze, a pig, a cow, or a heifer. In fact, nothing that possessed value
came wrong to him, so that it is impossible to describe adequately the
web of mischief which this blood-sucking old spider contrived to spread
around him, especially for those whom he knew to be too poor to avail
themselves of a remedy against his villany.

"Molly Cassidy, how are you?" he said, addressing a poor looking woman
who carried a parcel of some description rolled up under her cloak; "how
are all the family, achora?"

"Glory be to God for it, they can scarcely be worse;" replied the woman,
in that spirit of simple piety and veneration for the Deity, which in
all their misery characterizes the Irish people; "but sure we're only
sufferin' like others, an' indeed not so bad as many; there's Mick
Kelly has lost his fine boy Lanty; and his other son, young Mick, isn't
expected to live, an' all wid this sickness, that was brought on them,
as it is everywhere, wid bad feedin'."

"They're miserable times, Molly, at least I find them so; for I dunna
how it happens, but every one's disappointment falls upon me, till they
have me a'most out of house an' home--throth it 'ud be no wondher I'd
get hard-hearted some day wid the way I'm thrated an' robbed by every
one; aye, indeed, bekase I'm good-natured, they play upon me."

The poor creature gave a faint smile, for she knew the man's character
thoroughly.

"I have a dish of butther here, Darby," she said, "an' I want meal
instead of it."

"Butther, Molly; why thin, Molly, sure it isn't to me you're bringing
butther--me that has so much of it lyin' on my hands here already. Sure,
any way, it's down to dirt since the wars is over--butther is; if it
was anything else but butther, Molly: but--it's of no use; I've too
much of it."

"The sorra other thing I have, thin, Mr. Skinadre; but sure you had
betther look at it, an' you'll find it's what butther ought to be, firm,
claine, and sweet."

"I can't take it, achora; there's no market for it now."

"Here, as we're distressed, take it for sixpence a pound, and that's
the lowest price--God knows, if we wern't as we are, it isn't for that
you'd get it."

"Troth, I dar' say, you're ill off--as who isn't in these times? an'
it's worse they're gettin' an' will be gettin' every day. Troth, I say,
my heart bleeds for you; but we can't dale