84 Sporting Sketches in Pen and Pencil. 



everlastin' thief Terry, and tell him if the car's not ready in ten minutes 

 from this the divil a taste of whiskey he'll get this day. And see, now, 

 hurry up the cart for the dogs ; and do you and Andy get away with 

 them at once, or we'll be there before you. Hurry now, hurry ! " And off 

 went Mike, hot foot, and in three minutes more he and Andy were away 

 with half a dozen spaniels, and ten minutes after the cart drove up. The 

 guns and a hamper of prog were hoisted aboard, and up we got, two a side, 

 Terry driving. 



As we drove along we passed an old ruined church and graveyard half 

 overgrown with thistles, nettles, and rubbish. As Terry passed it he crossed 

 himself, and mumbled something to be " definded from " in an under tone. 



"What's wrong with the place, Terry?" I asked. 



"Sure it's the onlucky spot that, sir." 



" Unlucky is it; and why ? " 



" Och, then ! meself wouldn't be widin screech av it at nightfall after 

 what happened me father there for a big thrifle." 



" And what happened to him, dacent man ? " 



" Sure, sir, it's a dhry story." (I took the hint and moistened it.) 



"Well, sir, ye see this is how it was. Me father, Shamus O'Dowd, 

 was a small farmer over at Killara, and he'd been one day to the fair 

 at Ballaghoole, and was ridin' home at night pretty comfortable, though 

 by no means overtaken ; and as the night was cowld and the way long he'd 

 a bottle in his pocket in case of needcessity, — for a needcessity in such cases 

 made and purvided, your banner, 's sartin to happin sooner or later," 

 added Terry, with a twinkle of the eye. " He'd just come to the ford of 

 Aghadar, when he saw a young woman with a cloak drawn over her head, 

 sittin' on a stone by the ford, as though waiting for some one to give her a 

 cast over. Shamus was always a good-natured man, and soft to the sex, so 

 he pulled up and discoorsed her. ' If its crassin' ye are, me colleen beg,' says 

 he, ' jump up and welcome,' and with that she rose up, took howld of his 

 hand, put a foot on his toe, and up as light as a feather on the crupper 

 behind, and houlding on by his waist to steady her. ' Is it all right ye are, 

 me dear ? ' says he ; bat the never a word she replied, and they entered the 

 strame, and splashed across to the other side, and on up the long hill to the 



