The Ned M'Keown Stories: Traits And Stories Of The Irish Peasantry, The Works of; William Carleton, Volume ThreeCarleton, William
General
The Ned M'Keown Stories: Traits And Stories Of The Irish Peasantry, The Works of; William Carleton, Volume Three
Carleton, William
Ireland -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
“'Why, you cormorant,' says the friar, a little nettled, for the dhrop
was beginning to get up into his head, 'sure if we're fat by toleration,
we're only tolerably fat, my worthy secular!'
“'You see,' says the friar, in a whisper to my uncle, 'how I sobered
them in the larning, and they are good scholars for all that, but not
near so deep read as myself.' 'Michael,' says he, 'now that I think on
it--sure I'm to be at Denis O'Flaherty's Month's mind on Thursday next.'
“'Indeed I would not doubt you,' says Father Corrigan; 'you wouldn't be
apt to miss it.'
“'Why, the widdy Flaherty asked me yesterday, and I think that's proof
enough that I'm not going unsent for.'
“By this time the company was hard and fast at the punch, the songs, and
the dancing. The dinner had been cleared off, except what was before
the friar, who held out wonderfully, and the beggars and shulers were
clawing and scoulding one another about the divide. The dacentest of
us went into the house for a while, taking the fiddler with us, and the
rest, with the piper, staid on the green to dance, where they were soon
joined by lots of the counthry people, so that in a short time there was
a large number entirely. After sitting for some time within, Mary and I
began, you may be sure, to get unasy, sitting palavering among a parcel
of ould sober folks; so, at last, out we slipped, and the few other
dacent young people that were with us, to join the dance, and shake our
toe along with the rest of them. When we made our appearance, the flure
was instantly cleared for us, and then she and I danced the _Humors of
Glin_.
“Well, it's no matter--it's all past now, and she lies low; but I may
say that it wasn't very often danced in better style since, I'd wager.
Lord, bless us, what a drame the world is! The darling of my heart you
war, avourneen machree. I think I see her with the modest smile upon her
face, straight, and fair, and beautiful, and--hem--and when the dance
was over, how she stood leaning upon me, and my heart within melting to
her, and the look she'd give into my eyes and my heart, too, as much as
to say, 'This is the happy day with me;' and the blush still would
fly acrass her face, when I'd press her, unknownst to the bystanders,
against my beating heart. A _suilish machree_, (* Light of my heart.)
she is now gone from me--lies low, and it all appears like a drame to
me; but--hem--God's will be done!--sure she's happy--och, och!!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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