"That's thrue for you, Miss, sartanly, and that's what breaks the heart of me intirely. Too much pace isn't good for Pat, no how; he'll never do no good, you'll see, when he comes to have so much of his own way. 'Deed then, the heart's low within me, to be laving Pat this way!" And Miss Brady put the tail of her gown into the corner of her eye. "But Mary, you'll have to be caring more for your husband now. I suppose you love Denis McGovery, don't you? I'd never marry a man unless I loved him." "Oh! that's in course--I do love him; why wouldn't I? for he has a nice little room all dacently furnished for any young woman to go into--besides the shop; and he never has the horses at all into the one we sleeps in, as is to be. And he's a handful of money, and can make any woman comfortable; and in course I love him--so I do. But what's the use of loving a man, if he's to be hammering away at a horseshoe all night?" "Oh, they're making game of you--they are, Mary; depend upon it, when he's tired working all day, he'll sleep sound enough." "Well, I s'poses he will; but now, Miss Feemy, I wonder is he a quiet sort of man? will he be fighting at all, do you think?" "Really then, I can't tell; but even if he does, they say you can take your own part pretty well, when it's necessary." "For the matter of that, so I can; and I don't mind a scrimmage jist now and again--sich as I and Pat have--av it's only to show I won't be put under; but they do say Denis is very sthrong. I don't think I'd ever have had him, av' I'd known afore he'd been so mortial sthrong." "Well, that's all too late now for you to be talking of; and take my advice, Mary, don't be fighting with him at all if you can help it; for from what people say of him I think your husband, as will be, sticks mostly to his own way, and I don't think he'll let his wife interfere. But he's a hard-working man, and it'll be a great comfort to you that you'll never see your children wanting." "Oh, the childhren, the little dears! it's of them I'm thinking. God he knows, it's chiefly along of them as makes me do it; but--oh laws! Miss, it's a dreadful thing to come over one all at once. But it's a great comfort anyway your letting Biddy come down to ready the mutton and pratees, and things; and so, Miss, as I've so much to do, you'll excuse my waiting any longer; and you and Mr. Thady and the Captain,--for I'm thinking the Masther won't be coming,--'ll not be down later than sivin, for Father John's to be in it at sivin exact." "And who's to get the kiss, Mary?" "Oh, Miss!" "The Captain says he'll have a try for it anyway." "Oh that'd be too much honor intirely, Miss. But av here isn't Father John coming up the avenue!"