A MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE 179 



shame a doe used to go barefoot through the dew 

 down to Biddie Macks's cabin to drink fresh buttermilk, 

 whin they turned gallons o' it from their own dairy. 

 Some said, underbreath, she was touched, and some wild 

 loike, but none spoke loud but to wish her speed, fer 

 that's what it is to be a leddy ! 



"Meself, is it? Och, it's soon told. Six years lived 

 I there wid Kathy and Mulqueen, workin' in the garden, 

 he keepin' before me, until one day his Riverence come 

 face agin me thruble. Oh, yis, sor, that same, that bit 

 sup that's too much for the stomick, sor, and so gets into 

 the toes and tongue, sor ! Four times a year the spell's 

 put on me, sor, and gin I shlape it over, I'm a good man 

 in between, sor, but that one time, sor, Mulqueen was sint 

 to Lunnon, sor, and I missed me shlape fer mischief. 



"Well, thinks I, I'll go to Meriky and see me Johnny, 

 me youngest; most loike they're more used to the 

 shlapin' spells out there where all is free; but they 

 wasn't ! Johnny's a sheriff and got money wid his 

 woman, and she's no place in her house fit fer the old 

 man resting the drap off. So he gives me money 

 to go home first class, and says he'll sind another bit 

 along to Kathy fer me keepin'. 



"This was come Easter, and bad cess, one o' me 

 shlapes was due, and so I've footed it to get a job to 



