gy Gartland, the mendicant
immediately retraced his steps, and at a pace more rapid than usual,
strided on to Owen Reillaghan's, whither he arrived just in time to
secure an excellent Christmas-eve dinner.

In Ireland, that description of mendicants which differ so strikingly
from the common crowd of beggars as to constitute a distinct species,
comprehends within itself as anomalous an admixture of fun and devotion,
external rigor and private licentiousness, love of superstition and of
good whiskey, as might naturally be supposed, without any great sketch
of credulity, to belong to men thrown among a people in whom so many
extremes of character and morals meet. The known beggar, who goes his
own rounds, and has his own walk, always adapts his character to that of
his benefactor, whose whims and peculiarities of temper he studies
with industry, and generally with success. By this means, joined to
a dexterity in tracing out the private history of families and
individuals, he is enabled to humor the capprices, to manage the
eccentricities, and to touch with a masterly hand the prejudices, and
particular opinions, of his patrons; and this he contrives to do with
great address and tact. Such was the character of Darby More, whose
person, naturally large, was increased to an enormous size by the number
of coats, blankets, and bags, with which he was encumbered. A large
belt, buckled round his body, contained within its girth much more of
money, meal, and whiskey, than ever met the eye; his hat was exceedingly
low in the crown; his legs were cast in at least three pairs of
stockings; and in his hand he carried a long cant, spiked at the lower
end, with which he slung himself over small rivers and dykes, and kept
dogs at bay. He was a devotee, too, notwithstanding the whiskey horn
under his arm; attended wakes, christenings, and weddings: rubbed for
the rose (* a scrofulous swelling) and king's evil, (for the varlet
insisted that he was a seventh son); cured toothaches, colics, and
headaches, by charms; but made most money by a knack which he possessed
of tatooing into the naked breast the representation of Christ upon
the cross. This was a secret of considerable value, for many of the
superstitious people believed that by having this stained in upon them,
they would escape unnatural deaths, and be almost sure of heaven.

When Darby approached Reillaghan's house, he was considering the
propriety of disclosing to his son the fa