158 A MEDLEY OF SPORT 



" Sure, 'twas a grand affair entoirely, Micky," said 

 0' Grady to the owner of the " cutties " ; " and me blood 

 was up the minit I was on the coorse, and when I 

 heard the crowds cheerin' me, an' felt ould Kitty jiggin' 

 undher me, I could 'av' faced the Grand National." 



" Arrah, he had too much dead weight in the saddle, 

 an' that's what bate him," jestingly remarked one of 

 the merry taproom company, harking back to Denis's 

 boast. 



" Shut up your ugly face, ye spalpeen, or I'll close it 

 with a wisp of straw ! " cried the defeated rider. " An' 

 sure, Micky," he continued, addressing himself to the 

 meek, believing ears of the cobbler, " didn't the ould 

 mare fly off like the very divil the minit the flag 

 dhropped ; an', begorra, I give her both whip an' spur 

 at wanst, and she lepped over the first fence wid me 

 before I could get a grip iv the grazy saddle." 



" An' there was a yard iv daylight between you an' 

 it as you went over," waggishly interjected another. 



" An', begob, if it was as wide as ye open your 

 mouth you'd have good raison to spake, for sure it's 

 like the enthrance iv Mary Maloney's chaney-shop 

 round the corner," retorted Denis, without deigning to 

 turn his head. 



" An', man, Micky, she skimmed over that twenty- 

 acre grass field in Martin's like a swallow, and flew the 

 wall into the plough beyant like a greyhound, an' me 

 all as wan as I was in me ould arm-chair at home ; an' 

 she showed a clane pair iv heels up a dhry wather-furrow 



