of
the posts, and fought into the garden; when nothing should sarve Billy,
but to take up the large heavy post, as if he could destroy the whole
faction on each side. Accordingly he came up to big Matthew Flanagan,
and was rising it just as if he'd fell him, when Matt, catching him by
the nape of the neck, and the waistband of the breeches, went over very
quietly, and dropped him a second time, heels up, into the well; where
he might have been yet, only for my mother-in-law, who dragged him out
with a great deal to do: for the well was too narrow to give him room to
turn.

"As for myself and all my friends, as it happened to be my own wedding,
and at our own place, we couldn't take part with either of them; but we
endeavored all in our power to red (* Pacify or separate) them, and a
tough task we had of it, until we saw a pair of whips going hard and
fast among them, belonging to Father Corrigan and Father James, his
curate. Well, its wonderful how soon a priest can clear up a quarrel! In
five minutes there wasn't a hand up--instead of that they were ready to
run into mice-holes:--

"'What, you murderers,' says his Reverence, 'are you bint to have each
other's blood upon your heads; ye vile infidels, ye cursed unchristian
Anthemtarians?* are ye going to get yourself hanged like sheep-stalers?
down with your sticks, I command you: do you know--will you give
yourselves time to see who's spaking to you--you bloodthirsty set of
Episcopalians? I command you, in the name of the Catholic Church and the
Blessed Virgin Mary, to stop this instant, if you don't wish me,'
says he, 'to turn you into stocks and stones where you stand, and make
world's wonders of you as long as you live.--Doran, if you rise your
hand more, I'll strike it dead on your body, and to your mouth you'll
never carry it while you have breath in your carcass,' says he.--'Clear
off, you Flanagans, you butchers you--or by St. Domnick I'll turn the
heads round upon your bodies, in the twinkling of an eye, so that you'll
not be able to look a quiet Christian in the face again. Pretty respect
you have for the decent couple at whose house you have kicked up such
a hubbub. Is this the way people are to be deprived of their dinners on
your accounts, you fungaleering thieves!'

* Antitrinitarians; the peasantry are often extremely fond
of hard and long words, which they call tall English.

"'Why then, plase your Riverence, by the--hem--I say Father Corrig