294 ^-^^ i^^<^/ Charlotte. 



poor craythure through all. She battled it out well, as owld 

 as she was." 



" Faith thin, an' if she did die itself she was in the want 

 of it," said Norry sardonically ; " sure there isn't a winther 

 since her daughther wint to America that she wasn't 

 anointed a couple of times. I'm thinking the people th' 

 other side o' death will be throuncin' her for keepin' them 

 waitin' on her this way ! " 



Mary Holloran laughed a little and then wiped her face 

 with the corner of her apron, and sighed so as to restore a 

 fitting tone to the conversation. 



" The neighbours was all gathered in it last night," she 

 observed ; " they had the two rooms full in it, an' a half 

 gallon of whisky, and porther and all sorts. Indeed, her 

 sisther's two daughthers showed her every respect ; there 

 wasn't one comin' in it, big nor little, but they'd fill them 

 out a glass o' punch before they'd sit down. God bless ye, 

 Bid Sal/' she went on, as if made thirsty by the recollection 3 

 " have ye a sup o' tay in that taypot that's on th' oven ? I'd 

 drink the lough this minute ! " 



" Is it the like o' that ye'd give the woman ? " vociferated 

 Norry in furious hospitality, as Bid Sal moved forward to 

 obey this behest ; *' make down the fire and bile a dhrop of 

 wather the way she'll get what'U not give her a sick 

 shtummuck. Sure, what's in that pot's the lavin's afther 

 Miss Charlotte's breakfast for Billy Grainy when he comes 

 with the post ; and good enough for the likes of him." 



"There was a good manny axing for ye last night," 

 began Mary Holloran again, while Bid Sal broke up a box 

 with the kitchen cleaver, and revived the fire with its frag- 

 ments and a little paraffin oil. " And you a near cousin o' 

 the corp'. Was it herself wouldn't let you in it ? " 



" Whether she'd let me in it or no I have plenty to do 

 besides running to every corp'-house in the counthry," re- 

 turned Norry with an acerbity that showed how accurate 

 Mary Holloran's surmise had been ; " if thim that was in 

 the wake seen me last night goin' out to the cow that's 

 afther calvin' with the quilt off me bed to put over her, 

 maybe they'd have less chat about me." 



Mary Holloran was of a pacific turn, and she tried 

 another topic. *^ Did ye hear that John Kenealy was 



