34 CROOKED LAKE. 



how she had enjoyed her New Year's goose. At this 

 query Mrs. McCarty became terribly embarrassed. 



"By all the saints in hiven, Ma'am," she replied, " 'tis 

 an onmintionable subject in our house; and the tough 

 unholy baste lies this niinit on the top shelf of thv, 

 cabin, unaten." 



"Why, you surprise me," said Aunty, "for Andy 

 O'Leary assured me his geese were all young and 

 tender!" 



"Andy O'Leary!" screeched Mrs. McCarty; "and is it 

 to that murthering rascal I'm risponsible for me 

 throuble? Why, Mrs. O'Dowd, Ma'am, begging your 

 ladyship's humble pardon for spaking of it, I boiled 

 that blaggaard of a goose for one whole night and two 

 blisised days, before ever so much as the prong of a 

 fork could make a dent on his leathery old carcass; 

 and it's roasted arid well basted before a slow fire it 

 was for jist another day, by little Mickey; and then I 

 thought, 'surely 'tis tinder and atable the bhurd should 

 be now!' But, Mrs. O'Dowd, dear, thrue as I'm shtand- 

 ing here in your prisince, that dhoul of a bhurd was 

 harder than rock itsilf ! W T asn't it me husband who at- 

 tiiwpted to gnaw a bite of mate from the terrible thing 

 and broke off short the only three teeth in his face; and 

 wasn't it little Mickey, who's now at home wid his jaw 

 cracked and me best woolen scarf round his innercent 

 little skull to keep his little face straight at all, at all, 

 because the unthinking little gossoon imagined he 

 could chate the bhurd's leg of a bite of grissle? Oh, 

 Mrs. O'Dowd, 'tis sorra the day you prisinted me wid 

 that garralikin of a bhurd!" 



As Aunty had received no complaints from the other 

 tenants, she felt sure that some mista"ke had been made 

 by Andy, and finally persuaded Mi's. McCarty to go 

 over to Andy's cabin, and find out the facts of the case; 

 at the same time counseling her to make the necessary 

 inquiries in a peaceable and neighborlike manner. 



Mrs. McCarty started on her errand and soon arrived 



