i6 LIFE IN IRELAND 



were done up on both sides ; and Brian observing 

 his old pilot Peg taking a share in the muggling, 

 ordered her to his inn, and enquired the cause of such 

 a riot. ' 'Tis nothing at all at all, your honour,' said 

 Peg ; ' but only as old Gilly Muckihveene, scratchatary 

 to the Orange Club (sweet bad luck to them any day 

 the Lord pleases !) was leaning his head agane Molshy 

 Drumshanda's day-darkener, he took off his wig to 

 scratch with plasure and ease, when by comes Phil 

 Shemingshaugh, and up with his twig and fetched him 

 a crack on his Napper Tandy ; he could not resist the 

 temptation, your honour. "How could you hit the 

 man ! " says Orange Blarney, the She Bear keeper at 

 Carrick. "How could I hit him!" says Phil, "How 

 could I be after missing him when he laid so fair?" 

 " Fair in your bone-box ! you foul galoosh ! " said Blarney, 

 and dabbed his right flipper bones in his muns. Up 

 came the Orange Boys, down came the Green Goers, 

 and to it they went pelt for pelt like flails upon a barn 

 board. Teddy the Cleboy, plase your honour, knocked 

 myself down wid a quart of beer. Och musha ! I put 

 up my hand, and thought I had it full of my brains, 

 but on putting my tongue to that same, 'twas only the 

 froth of de pot, that had settled on my knowledge box. 

 I hope your honour will be after helping me to per- 

 secute Theagain Il'Moconish the bull-baiter, he 's bate 

 the liverpin out of Phelim, who your honour saw 

 sprawling on the blue hard hearts, la^ne of an eye and 

 blind oi 2. leg.^ Peg ended her story, and after curtseying 

 for a handful of tenpennies made her exit. 



' 'Tis true,' said Brian thoughtfully, ' one half of the 

 battles which begin at Irish fairs, and frequently end in 



