16 WHAT I HAVE SEEN WHILE FISHING 



and wanted the loan of one of our pipes. I asked 

 him if such was the case. " Begorra, that's thrue 

 for ye, sorr." I gave him a cigar, between the pulls 

 at which he sang another verse of his Irish song, 

 and looked so completely Irish and happy that I 

 inquired of Kirk, my son, if he could not manage 

 to take his photo. " What ! in this light ?" and, as 

 he said this, he looked at me compassionately. " If 

 it's me picture ye wad be taking, you'll be quick, 

 for I'll be laving ye at the next station, and your 

 honours will be down-hearted for life if ye have 

 nothing to remimber me by. Will ye do it while I 

 jig to ye ? It's me ane mither that knows I'm a 

 divil at a jig. Niver me aqual in all Tyrone. It's 

 only Tim Donnelly may the divil put horns on his 

 grandmother's ghost that will tak the flure wid 

 me ; and, begorra, it was dhry in the mouth I was 

 when he thought me bate entoirely." The mere 

 thought of Tim Donnelly brought him to his feet, 

 and, while dancing, he exclaimed, " Had I him here 

 I could lepp his head." To show how easy that 

 would be Pat would occasionally jump so high as to 

 bring his head in touch with the roof, and his stick 

 would twist and turn with such velocity that my 

 eyes failed to follow its movements, and, fearing it 

 might escape his fingers, I drew myself as near as 

 might be into the innermost corner of the corner in 

 which I sat. 



Would this electric, dancing, gesticulating, happy- 

 faced, singing wonder go on for ever, was the ques- 



