r kissing and marrying."

"Were you always so?" says Ned, across the fire to her.

"Behave yourself, Ned," says she; "don't you make me spake; sure you
were set down as the greatest Brine-oge that ever was known, in the
parish, for such things."

"No, but don't you make _me_ spake," replies Ned.

"Here, Biddy," said Nancy, "bring that uncle of yours another pint;
that's what he wants most at the present time, I'm thinking."

Biddy, accordingly, complied with this.

"Don't make _me_ spake," continued Ned.

"Come, Ned," she replied, "you've got a fresh pint now; so drink it, and
give me no more _gosther_. (* Gossip--Idle talk.)

"_Shuid-urth!_"* says Ned, putting the pint to his head, and winking
slyly at the rest.

* This to you, or upon you; a form of drinking healths.

"Ay, wink; in troth I'll be up to you for that, Ned," says Nancy; by
no means satisfied that Ned should enter into particulars. "Well, Tom,"
says she, diverting the conversation, "go on, and give us the remainder
of your Wake."

"Well," says Tom, "the next play is in the milintary line. You see, Mr.
Morrow, the man that leads the sports places them all on their sates,
gets from some of the girls a white handkerchief, which he ties round
his hat, as you would tie a piece of mourning; he then walks round them
two or three times singing,

Will you list and come with me, fair maid?
Will'you list and come with me, fair maid?
Will you list and come with me, fair maid,
And folly the lad with the white cockade?

"When he sings this he takes off his hat, and puts it on the head of the
girl he likes best, who rises up and puts her arm around him, and then
they both go about in the same way, singing the same words. She then
puts the hat on some young man, who gets up and goes round with them,
singing as before. He next puts it on the girl he loves best, who, after
singing and going round in the same manner, puts it on another, and he
on his sweetheart, and so on. This is called the White Cockade. When
it's all over, that is, when every young man has pitched upon the girl
that he wishes to be his sweetheart, they sit down, and sing songs, and
coort, as they did at the marrying.

"After this comes the _Weds or Forfeits_, or what they call
putting round the button. Every one gives in a forfeit--the boys a
neck-handkerchief or a pen-knife, and the girls a pocket-handkerchief
or something that way. The forfeit is held over them