"Why, then, maybe you never heard, ma'am, what happened to Davy Roche
in that same churchyard," said Bourke; and turning to Mr. Martin,
added, "'Twas a long time before he went into your service, sir. He
was walking home, of an evening, from the fair of Kilcumber, a little
merry, to be sure, after the day, and he came up with a berrin. So he
walked along with it, and thought it very queer that he did not know a
mother's soul in the crowd but one man, and he was sure that man was
dead many years afore. Howsomever, he went on with the berrin till
they came to Kilcrumper churchyard; and, faith, he went in and stayed
with the rest, to see the corpse buried. As soon as the grave was
covered, what should they do but gather about a piper that _come_
along with 'em, and fall to dancing as if it was a wedding. Davy
longed to be among 'em (for he hadn't a bad foot of his own, that
time, whatever he may now); but he was loth to begin, because they all
seemed strange to him, only the man I told you that he thought was
dead. Well, at last this man saw what Davy wanted, and came up to him.
'Davy,' says he, 'take out a partner, and show what you can do, but
take care and don't offer to kiss her.' 'That I won't,' says Davy,
'although her lips were made of honey.' And with that he made his bow
to the _purtiest_ girl in the ring, and he and she began to dance.
'Twas a jig they danced, and they did it to th' admiration, do you
see, of all that were there. 'Twas all very well till the jig was
over; but just as they had done, Davy, for he had a drop in, and was
warm with the dancing, forgot himself, and kissed his partner,
according to custom. The smack was no sooner off of his lips, you see,
than he was left alone in the churchyard, without a creature near him,
and all he could see was the tall tombstones. Davy said they seemed as
if they were dancing too, but I suppose that was only the wonder that
happened him, and he being a little in drink. Howsomever, he found it
was a great many hours later than he thought it; 'twas near morning
when he came home; but they couldn't get a word out of him till the
next day, when he woke out of a dead sleep about twelve o'clock."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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