"Yis, sir," said Andy, who got astride of his hack, and trotted away to the post-office. On arriving at the shop of the postmaster, (for that person carried on a brisk trade in groceries, gimlets, broad-cloth, and linen-drapery,) Andy presented himself at the counter, and said, "I want a letther, sir, if you plase." "Who do you want it for?" said the postmaster, in a tone which Andy considered an aggression upon the sacredness of private life: so Andy thought the coolest contempt he could throw upon the prying impertinence of the postmaster was to repeat his question. "I want a letther, sir, if you plase." "And who do you want it for?" repeated the postmaster. "What's that to you?" said Andy. The postmaster, laughing at his simplicity, told him he could not tell what letter to give him unless he told him the direction. "The directions I got was to get a letther here,--that's the directions." "Who gave you those directions?"--"The masther." "And who's your master?"--"What consarn is that o' yours?" "Why, you stupid rascal! if you don't tell me his name, how can I give you a letter?"--"You could give it if you liked; but you're fond of axin' impidint questions, bekase you think I'm simple." "Go along out o' this. Your master must be as great a goose as yourself to send such a messenger."--"Bad luck to your impidince!" said Andy; "is it Squire Egan you dar to say goose to?" "Oh, Squire Egan's your master, then?"--"Yis; have you anything to say agin it?" "Only that I never saw you before."--"Faith, then you'll never see me agin if I have my own consint." "I won't give you any letter for the squire, unless I know you're his servant. Is there any one in the town knows you?"--"Plenty," said Andy; "it's not every one is as ignorant as you." Just at this moment a person entered the house to get a letter, to whom Andy was known; and he vouched to the postmaster that the account he gave of himself was true.--"You may give him the squire's letter. Have you one for me?"--"Yes, sir," said the postmaster, producing one: "fourpence." The new-comer paid the fourpence postage, and left the shop with his letter. "Here's a letter for the squire," said the postmaster. "You've to pay me elevenpence postage." "What 'ud I pay elevenpence for?"--"For postage." "To the divil wid you! Didn't I see you give Mr. Delany a letther for fourpence this minit, and a bigger letther than this; and now you want me to pay elevenpence for this scrap of a thing. Do you think I'm a fool?" "No; but I'm sure of it," said the postmaster.--"Well, you're welkim to think what you plase; but don't be delayin' me now; here's fourpence for you, and gi' me the letther." "Go along, you stupid thief!" said the postmaster, taking up the letter, and going to serve a customer with a mousetrap.