y's voice singing in a very
high key. My first thought was that he had gone suddenly crazy. With a
light in my hand I stepped softly into the room, to find Terry sitting
up in bed and singing at the top of his voice, a song in the "Native
Irish Tongue." By this time he had roused every one in the house; and
others of the family entered the room. By the pauses which he made, we
knew when he reached the end of each verse. He sang several verses; at
the time I knew how many, but am unable now to recall the exact number.
He must surely have been a sound sleeper or the loud laughter which
filled the room would have waked him, for the scene was ludicrous in the
extreme: Terry sitting up in bed, sound asleep, at the hour of midnight,
and singing with a loud voice and very earnest manner, to an audience
who were unable to understand one word of the song. At the close of the
last verse he lay quietly down, all unconscious of the Musical
Entertainment he had given. The next morning some of the family began
teasing him about the song he had sung in his sleep. He was loth to
believe them, and as usual enquired of me if they were telling him the
truth. "I'll believe whatever you say," said he, "for its you that niver
toult me a lie yet." "You may believe them this time," said I, "for you
certainly did sing a song. The air was very fine, and I have no doubt
the words were equally so, if we could only have understood them."

"Well thin," replied he, "but I niver heard more than that; and if I
raaly did sing, I may as well tell yee's how it happint. I dramed, ye
see, that I was at a ball in Ireland, an' I thought that about twelve
o'clock we got tired wid dancin and sated ourselves on the binches which
were ranged round the walls uv the room, and ache one was to sing a song
in their turn, an' its I that thought my turn had come for sure." "Well
Terry," said I, "you hit upon the time exact at any rate, for it was
just twelve o'clock when you favoured us with the song." Soon after this
time I left the neighbourhood, and removed to some distance. Terry
remained for a considerable time with the same family; after a time I
learned that he had obtained employment in a distant village. The next
tidings I heard of him was that he had been implicated in a petty
robbery, and had run away. His impulsive disposition rendered him very
easy of persuasion, for either good or evil; and he seldom paused to
consider the consequences of any act. From what