that themselves if they could. He accordingly gave out to the neighbours that he would hold a kemp on that day week, and he told Biddy and Sally especially that he had made up his mind to marry whichever of them won the kemp, for he knew right well, as did all the parish, that one of them must. The girls agreed to this very good-humouredly, Biddy telling Sally that she (Sally) would surely win it; and Sally, not to be outdone in civility, telling the same thing to her. Well, the week was nearly past, there being but two days till that of the kemp, when, about three o'clock, there walks into the house of old Paddy Corrigan a little woman dressed in high-heeled shoes and a short red cloak. There was no one in the house but Biddy at the time, who rose up and placed a chair near the fire, and asked the little red woman to sit down and rest herself. She accordingly did so, and in a short time a lively chat commenced between them. 'So,' said the strange woman, 'there's to be a great kemp in Shaun Buie M'Gaveran's?' 'Indeed there is that, good woman,' replied Biddy, smiling and blushing to back of that again, because she knew her own fate depended on it. 'And,' continued the little woman, 'whoever wins the kemp wins a husband?' 'Ay, so it seems.' 'Well, whoever gets Shaun will be a happy woman, for he's the moral of a good boy.' 'That's nothing but the truth, anyhow,' replied Biddy, sighing, for fear, you may be sure, that she herself might lose him; and indeed a young woman might sigh from many a worse reason. 'But,' said she, changing the subject, 'you appear to be tired, honest woman, an' I think you had better eat a bit, an' take a good drink of _buinnhe ramwher_ (thick milk) to help you on your journey.' 'Thank you kindly, a colleen,' said the woman; 'I'll take a bit, if you plase, hopin', at the same time, that you won't be the poorer of it this day twelve months.' 'Sure,' said the girl, 'you know that what we give from kindness ever an' always leaves a blessing behind it.' 'Yes, acushla, when it _is_ given from kindness.' She accordingly helped herself to the food that Biddy placed before her, and appeared, after eating, to be very much refreshed. 'Now,' said she, rising up, 'you're a very good girl, an' if you are able to find out my name before Tuesday morning, the kemp-day, I tell you that you'll win it, and gain the husband.' 'Why,' said Biddy, 'I never saw you before. I don't know who you are, nor where you live; how then can I ever find out your name?' 'You never saw me before, sure enough,' said the old woman, 'an' I tell you that you never will see me again but once; an' yet if you have not my name for me at the close of the kemp, you'll lose all, an' that will leave you a sore heart, for well I know you love Shaun Buie.'