42 My Two Lays Salmon Fishing, 



in Connauglit, the blacksmith's daughter." And by Jove she 

 did speak the truth. Aye, indeed ! and he's Y\'orth a dale of 

 money, a hunther they say, when her ould father goes ; and 

 he was bad last Christmas, and Father Regan made his 

 sowl." 



" Yes," remarked a bystander, ''and the punch brought 

 him to life again." 



" Get out, Mick, and don't be listening to my discourse ; 

 'tisn't you that's the boy she will be having — there's better 

 nor you in the barony — and (to the gii"l) come here, Mary, 

 and I'll tell you a sacret." 



" And what's that, mother ? " as she called the ould 

 woman. 



" I tould the English gintleman that you are the 

 prettiest girl in the Connaught, and I tell ye something 

 else ; there's Phelim, not a hundhred yards from ye noAv — " 

 And she spoke the truth, for Phelim, a fine young fellow, 

 came towards her, blushing very much, and catching sight 

 of me (for the story told itself) looked as if he would have 

 smashed me if he could, under an erroneous suspicion of 

 jealousy, thinking that I had spoken to her perhaps. It 

 vjas a case, and from the hajDpy expression on her face and 

 on her lover's, I was certain that the green-eyed monster 

 was quelled. I wish a few London 'Arries would go over 

 to an Irish fair and make some of their witty (?) remarks 

 to an Irish peasant girl or two ; they would get what they 

 deserve so much. 



Turning from love to theatricals, I have seen something 

 pretty good at old Greenwich Fair in the past, with Wicked 

 Barons, injured innocence, and blue fire and ghosts ; but 

 commend me to the same thing at a rural Irish Fair. Upon 

 my word, I think they took the drama for reality, for when 

 the ghost of the bleeding nun appeared to the virtuous 

 character, and pointing, said, " Ye'll find my bloody corse 



