wouldn't have valued that so much, only that it
was Beal Cam** Doherty that joined*** me in ploughing that year--and
I was vexed not to take all I could out of him, for he was a raal Turk
himself.

* A young man full of fun and frolic. The word literally
signifies Young Brian. Such phrases originate thus:--A young
man remarkable for one or more qualities of a particular
nature becomes so famous for them that his name, in the
course of time, is applied to others, as conveying the same
character.

** Crooked mouth.

***In Ireland, small farmers who cannot afford to keep more
than one horse are in the habit of "joining," as it is
termed--that is, of putting their horses together so as to
form a yoke, when they plough each other's farms, working
alternately, sometimes, by the week, half-week, or day; that
is, I plough this day, or this week, and you the next day,
or week, until our crops are got down. In this case, each is
anxious to take as much out of the horses as he can,
especially where the farms are unequal. For instance, where
one farm is larger than another the difference must be paid
by the owner of the larger one in horse-labor, man-labor, or
money; but that he may have as little to pay as possible, he
ploughs as much for himself, by the day, as he can, and
often strives to get the other to do as little per day, on
the other side, in order to diminish what will remain due to
his partner. There is, consequently, a ludicrous
undercurrent of petty jealousy running between them, which
explains the passage in question.

"I disremember now what passed between us as to words--but I know I
had a duck-egg in my hand, and when she spoke, I raised my arm, and
nailed--poor Larry Tracy, our servant boy, between the two eyes with it,
although the crathur was ating his dinner quietly fornent me, not saying
a word.

"Well, as I tould you, Dick was ever after her, although her father
and mother would rather see her under boord* than joined to any of that
connection; and as for herself, she couldn't bear the sight of him, he
was sich an upsetting, conceited puppy, that thought himself too good
for every girl. At any rate, he tried often and often, in fair and
market, to get striking up with her; and both coming from and going to
mass, 'twas the same way, for ever after and about her, till the state