88 SPORTING REMINISCENCES 



He had a black bottle with him from which he 

 took a pull, confiding to his wife that there was 

 nothin' like a " dhrop of dhrink to make the 

 journey jump." 



Later he began to talk to me, he was a par- 

 ticularly respectable-looking man, and told me that 

 he had met herself for the first time the day before, 

 it being all settled up betune the ould people, an' 

 now they must give or take together till the end, 

 an' that was the way of it. 



Marriage is always a matter of bargain. So 

 much laid down, so many cows or pigs or bags of 

 feathers, and constantly the pair do not meet 

 until the actual day of the wedding. 



I told the story in one of my books, but it may 

 bear repeating, of the breach of promise case 

 heard here in Limerick. 



The bride had been to America. The bride- 

 groom was a young farmer from Clare. He turned 

 up at the bride's house in time to drive to the 

 chapel with her, never having seen her before. 



She was young, nice-looking, and he got up 

 on the side-car — well pleased. 



" Fine day," he remarked. 



" Vury," said the bride, all twang. 



The bridegroom started. 



Another remark and another all answered with 

 " I guess that's so — or certainly — " in strong 

 American. 



The bridegroom lapsed into silence. He got 



