The Hedge School; The Midnight Mass; The Donagh: Traits And Stories Of The Irish Peasantry, The Works of; William Carleton, Volume ThreeCarleton, William
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The Hedge School; The Midnight Mass; The Donagh: Traits And Stories Of The Irish Peasantry, The Works of; William Carleton, Volume Three
Carleton, William
Ireland -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
“Saints in glory!” he exclaimed again, “isn't this blessed doins an the
sacred day that's in it! that a poor helpless ould man like me
can't come to get somethin' to take away this misfortunit touch o'
configuration that I'm afflicted wid in cowld weather--that I can't take
a little sup of the only thing that I cures me--widout your ructions and
battles! You came here to make pace between two dacent men's childher,
an' you're as bad, if not worse, yourselves!--Oh, wurrah dheelish,
what's this! I'm in downright agony! Oh, murdher sheery! Has none o' yez
a hand to thry if there's e'er a dhrop of relief in that bottle? or am I
to die all out, in the face o' the world, for want of a sup o' somethin'
to warm me?”
“Darby, thry the horn,” said M'Kenna.
“Here, Darby,” said one of them, “dhrink this off, an' my life for
yours, it'll warm you to the marrow!”
“Och, musha, but I wanted it badly,” replied Darby, swallowing it at
once; “it's the only thing that does me good when I'm this way. _Deah
Graslhias!_ Oxis Doxis Glorioxis. Amin!”
“I think,” said M'Kenna, “that what's in the horn's far afore it.”
“Oh, thin, you thoughtless crathur, if you knew somethin' I hard about
you a while ago, you'd think otherwise. But, indeed, it's thrue for you;
I'm sure I'd be sarry to compare what's in it to anything o' the kind I
tuck. Deah Grasthias! Throth, I'm asier now a great dale nor I was.”
“Will you take another sup, Darby?” inquired the young fellow in whose
hands the bottle was now nearly empty; there's jist about another
glass.”
“Indeed, an' I 'will, avillish; an' sure you'll have my blessin' for
it, an' barrin' the priest's own, you couldn't have a more luckier
one--blessed be God for it--sure that's well known. In throth, they
never came to ill that had it, an' never did good that got my curse!
Hoop! do you hear how that rises the wind off o' my stomach! Houp!--Deah
Grasthias for that!”
“How did you larn all the prayers an' charms you have, Darby?” inquired
the bottle-holder.
“It would take me too long to tell you that, avillish! But, childher,
now that you're all together, make it up wid one another. Aren't you all
frinds an' brothers, sworn brothers, an' why would you be fightin' among
other? Misther Costigan, give me your hand; sure I heard a thrifle o'
what you were sayin' while I was suckin' my dudeen at the fire widout.
Come here, Misther Connell. Now, before the saints in glory, I lay my
bitter curse an him that refuses to shake hands wid his inimy. There
now--I'm proud to see it. Mike, avourneen, come here--Frank M'Kenna,
gustho (* come hither), walk over here; my bitther heart's curse upon of
yez, if you don't make up all quarrels this minit! Are you willin, Mike
lieillaghan?”
“I have no objection in life,” replied Mike, “if he'll say that Peggy
Gartland won't be put to any more throuble through his manes.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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