A nice half griddle of whole-meal bread and a print of fresh butter were now produced, and Molly helped the mistress with her own hands. As she was eating, Mary kept looking in her face, and at last said, "Ah then, mother, doesn't the misthress luk mighty well? Upon my faikins, ma'am, I never seen you luking half so handsome."--"Well! and why wouldn't she luk well? And niver will she luk betther nor be betther nor I wish her."--"Well, Molly, I think I may return the compliment, for Mary is prettier than ever; and as for yourself, I really believe it's young again you're growing."--"Why, God be thanked, ma'am, I'm stout and hearty; and though I say it mysilf, there's not an ould woman in the county can stir about betther nor me, and I'm up ivery mornin' at the peep of day, and rout them all up out of their beds. Don't I?" said she, looking at Mary.--"Faith, and sure you do, mother," replied Mickey; "and before the peep of day, too; for you have no marcy in you at all at all."--"Ah, in my young days," continued the old woman, "people woren't slugabeds; out airly, home late--that was the way wid thim."--"And usedn't people to see Leprechauns in thim days, mother?" said Mickey, laughing.--"Hould your tongue, you saucy cub, you," cried Molly; "what do you know about thim?"--"Leprechauns?" said Mrs. L., gladly catching at the opportunity; "did people really, Molly, see Leprechauns in your young days?"--"Yes, indeed, ma'am; some people say they did," replied Molly, very composedly.--"O com' now, mother," cried Mickey, "don't think to be goin' it upon us that away; you know you seen thim one time yoursilf, and you hadn't the gumption in you to cotch thim, and git their crocks of gould from thim."--"Now, Molly, is that really true that you saw the Leprechauns?"--"'Deed, and did I, ma'am; but this boy's always laughin' at me about thim, and that makes me rather shy in talkin' o' thim."--"Well, Molly, _I_ won't laugh at you; so, come, tell me how you saw them."