“When Sammy, your honour, found there was no chance to get his little boys off his hands as orphans, he then thought to fall in love with Bonny Betty, for she’s now well off in the world, thanks to your honour. So one day last week he stept over the row of currant bushes, nimbly like, and says, ‘Mistress Kelly,’ says he, ‘you and I have wrought side by side since the 15th of April, and it’s now June. I’m thinking we could work on this way to the end of our lives, and I’ll be a good fader to your children, and keep you from such hard work as this, for it’s a shame to see a fine woman like yourself, Mistress Kelly, working like a man any how.’ Well, what does Bonny Betty do but one thing, and Sammy Oram might be sure she’d tell; indeed we were all in the garding at the time, and saw them speak together, and we saw her lift him, easy like, with one hand, by the waistband behind, over the currant bushes, and set him gently down on the other side, and then Betty she laughed out loud, scornful like. Sammy Oram, after that, had no heart to work next to Bonny Betty. ‘And I knew what he comed next to me for at the time,’ said she, ‘but I said I’ll fit him when he’s ready to spake—he a fader to my childer—he’s not a fader to his own. There’s Lizzy Conolly, she’s a good enough body for him, and he’ll find her a better mammy to his childer than I would be.’ Sammy’s a man, your honour, that soon tires of a wife. I remember once he tould me when his first wife had been a long time ailen, that he wished he could get her back to Ireland to her fader, he did not see why he was obliged to take care of another man’s child. But Sammy’s an honest man, your honour, and he’ll may be do well yet. I think the hint of Lizzy Conolly not a bad one, and she’s fond of little childer. We are all wishing to see your honour, not forgetting our respects to Mrs. M’Curdy and sweet little Nory. I remain your honour’s humble and obedient servant, “DANIEL M’LEARY.”