The Emigrants Of Ahadarra: The Works of William Carleton, Volume TwoCarleton, William
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The Emigrants Of Ahadarra: The Works of William Carleton, Volume Two
Carleton, William
Ireland -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
“Good-night, then, you misshapen ruffian,” said Burke, about to go.
“Aisy, Mr. Burke,” said. Hogan; “well soon make short work wid them.
Here, Ted, you devil's catch-penny, come an' help me! Hillo, here!” he
shouted, “what are you at, you gallows crew? Do you want to go to the
stone jug, I say? Be off out o' this--here's the guager, blast him, an'
the sogers! Clear out, I tell you, or every mother's son of you will
sleep undher the skull and cross-bones to-night.” (* Meaning the County
Prison)
“Here you, Barney,” whispered Teddy, who certainly did not wish that
Burke should return as he came; “here, you great big fwhool you, give
past your yowlin' dere--and lookin' at your blood--run out dere, come in
an' shout the gauger an' de sogers.”
Barney, who naturally imagined that the intelligence was true, complied
with the order he had received in a spirit of such alarming and dreadful
earnestness, that a few minutes found the still-house completely cleared
of the two parties, not excepting Hogan himself, who, having heard
nothing of Teddy's directions to the fool, took it now for granted that
that alarm was a real one, and ran along with the rest. The schoolmaster
had fallen asleep, Kate Hogan was engaged in making preparations for
supper at the lower end of the casern, and the fool had been dispatched
to fetch Hogan himself back, so that Hycy now saw there was a good
opportunity for stating at more length than he could in the market the
purpose of his visit.
“Teddy,” said he, “now that the coast's clear, let us lose no time in
coming to the point. You are aware that Bryan M'Mahon has come into the
mountain farm of Ahadarra by the death of his uncle.”
“Shiss; dese three years.”
“You will stick to your cursed brogue,” said the other; “however, that's
your own affair. You are aware of this?”
“I am.”
“Well, I have made my mind up to take another turn at this,” and he
tapped the side of the still with his stick; “and I'll try it there. I
don't know a better place, and it is much more convenient than this.”
Teddy looked at him from under his brows, but seemed rather at a loss to
comprehend his meaning.
“Fwor fhy 'ud you go to Ahadarra?”
“It's more convenient, and quite as well adapted for it as this place,
or nearly.”
“Well! Shiss, well?”
“Well; why that's all I have to say about it, except that I'm not to be
seen or known in the business at all--mark that.”
“Shiss--well? De Hogans must know it?”
“I am aware of that; we couldn't go on without them. This running of
your's will soon be over; very well. You can go to Ahadarra to-morrow
and pitch upon a proper situation for a house. These implements will
do.”
“No, dey won't; I wouldn't tink to begin at all wid dat ould skillet.
You must get de Hogans to make a new Still, Head and Worm, an' dat will
be money down.”
“Very well; I'll provide the needful; let Philip call to me in a day or
two.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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