cers come from the scattered farmhouses
in every direction. In Ballyfuchsia, they dance on a flat piece of road
under some fir-trees and larches, with stretches of mountain covered
with yellow gorse or purple heather, and the quiet lakes lying in the
distance. A message comes down to us at Ardnagreena--where we commonly
spend our Sunday afternoons--that they expect a good dance, and the
blind boy is coming to fiddle; and 'so if you will be coming up, it's
welcome you'll be.' We join them about five o'clock--passing, on our
way, groups of 'boys' of all ages from sixteen upwards, walking in twos
and threes, and parties of three or four girls by themselves; for it
would not be etiquette for the boys and girls to walk together, such
strictness is observed in these matters about here.

When we reach the rendezvous we find quite a crowd of young men and
maidens assembled; the girls all at one side of the road, neatly dressed
in dark skirts and light blouses, with the national woollen shawl over
their heads. Two wide stone walls, or dykes, with turf on top, make
capital seats, and the boys are at the opposite side, as custom demands.
When a young man wants a partner, he steps across the road and asks
a colleen, who lays aside her shawl, generally giving it to a younger
sister to keep until the dance is over, when the girls go back to their
own side of the road and put on their shawls again. Upon our arrival we
find the 'sets' are already in progress; a 'set' being a dance like
a very intricate and very long quadrille. We are greeted with many
friendly words, and the young boatmen and farmers' sons ask the ladies,
"Will you be pleased to dance, miss?" Some of them are shy, and say
they are not familiar with the steps; but their would-be partners remark
encouragingly: "Sure, and what matter? I'll see you through." Soon all
are dancing, and the state of the road is being discussed with as much
interest as the floor of a ballroom. Eager directions are given to the
more ignorant newcomers, such as, "Twirl your girl, captain!" or "Turn
your back to your face!"--rather a difficult direction to carry out, but
one which conveys its meaning. Salemina confided to her partner that she
feared she was getting a bit old to dance. He looked at her grey hair
carefully for a moment, and then said chivalrously: "I'd not say that
that was old age, ma'am. I'd say it was eddication."

When the sets, which are very long and very decorous, are finish