ily! May they be
scattered wid all speed--manin' the girls--to all corners o' the
parish!--ha, ha, ha! Well, that won't vex them, anyhow; an' next, here's
a merry Chris'mas to us, an' many o' them! Whooh! blur-an'-age! whooh!
oh, by gorra!--that's--that's--Frank run afther my breath--I've lost
it--run, you tory: oh, by gor, that's stuff as sthrong as Sampson, so
it is. Arrah, what well do you dhraw that from? for, faith, 'twould be
mighty convanient to live near it in a hard frost."

Barny was now silent for some time, which silence was produced by the
industry he displayed in assailing the substantial refreshments before
him. When he had concluded his repast he once more tasted the liquor;
after which he got Granua Waile, and continued playing their favorite
tunes, and amusing them with anecdotes, both true and false, until the
hour drew nigh when his services were expected by the young men and
maidens who had assembled to dance in the barn. Occasionally, however,
they took a preliminary step in which they were joined by few of their
neighbors. Old Frank himself felt his spirits elevated by contemplating
the happiness of his children and their young associates.

"Frank," said he, to the youngest of his sons, "go down to Owen
Reillaghan's, and tell him an' his family to come up to the dance early
in the evenin'. Owen's a pleasant man," he added, "and a good neighbor,
but a small thought too strict in his duties. Tell him to come up,
Frank, airly, I say; he'll have time enough to go to the Midnight Mass
afther dancin' the 'Rakes of Ballyshanny,' and 'the Baltihorum jig;' an'
maybe he can't do both in style!"

"Ay," said Frank, in a jeering manner, "he carries a handy heel at
the dancin', and a soople tongue at the prayin'; but let him alone for
bringin' the bottom of his glass and his eyebrow acquainted. But if he'd
pray less--"

"Go along, a _veehonce_, (* you profligate) an' bring him up," replied
the father: "you to talk about prayin'! Them that 'ud catch you at a
prayer ought to be showed for the world to wondher at: a man wid two
heads an him would be a fool to him. Go along, I say, and do what you're
bid."

"I'm goin'," said Frank. "I'm off; but what if he doesn't come? I'll
then have my journey for nothin'."

"An' it's good payment for any journey ever you'll make, barrin' it's to
the gallows," replied the father, nearly provoked at his reluctance in
obeying him: "won't you have dancin' enough in the coorse