he was in spread over the parish like wild fire. Still, all he could do
was of no use; except to bid him the time of day, she never entered into
discoorse with him at all at all. But there was no putting the likes
of him off; so he got a quart of spirits in his pocket, one night, and
without saying a word to mortal, off he sets full speed to her father's,
in order to brake the thing to the family.

* In that part of the country where the scene of Shane
Fadh's Wedding is laid, the bodies of those who die are not
stretched out on a bed, and the face exposed; on the
contrary, they are placed generally on the ground, or in a
bed, but with a board resting upon two stools or chairs over
them. This is covered with a clean sheet, generally borrowed
from some wealthier neighbor; so that the person of the
deceased is altogether concealed. Over the sheet upon the
board, are placed plates of cut tobacco, pipes, snuff, &c.
This is what is meant by being "undher boord."

"Mary might be about seventeen at this time, and her mother looked
almost as young and fresh as if she hadn't been married at all. When
Dick came in, you may be sure they were all surprised at the sight of
him; but they were civil people--and the mother wiped a chair, and put
it over near the fire for him to sit down upon, waiting to hear what
he'd say, or what he wanted, although, they could give a purty good
guess as to that!--but they only wished to put him off with as little
offince as possible. When Dick sot a while, talking about what the price
of hay and oats would be in the following summer, and other subjects
that he thought would show his knowledge of farming and cattle, he pulls
out his bottle, encouraged to by their civil way of talking--and telling
the ould couple, that as he came over on his kailyee,* he had brought
a drop in his pocket to sweeten the discoorse, axing Susy Finigan, the
mother, for a glass to send it round with--at the same time drawing
over his chair close to Mary who was knitting her stocken up beside
her little brother Michael, and chatting to the gorsoon, for fraid that
Cuillenan might think she paid him any attention.

* Kailyee--a friendly evening visit.

When Dick got alongside of her, he began of coorse, to pull out her
needles and spoil her knitting, as is customary before the young people
come to close spaking. Mary, howsomever, had no welcome for him; so,
says she, 'Yo