Simpson's snipe 59 



" ' What's that yer sayin' at all at all ? ' says th' 

 ould Major ; ' who bet ye ? ' says he. 



" ' Shiire, here's Sir Timothy Blake, and Misther 

 Bodkin Bushe, an' three more comin',' says she, ' an' 

 this is only Wednesday.' 



" ' Arrah, what the dickens has that for to say to 

 it ? ' says the Major. 



" ' There's not as much fresh mate in the house as 

 wud give a brequest to a blackbird,' says she ; ' an' 

 they all ate fish av a Friday, an' how are we for to 

 get it at all at all ? An' they'll be wantin' fish an' 

 game.' 



'' Ye see, sir," said Billy, " there was little or no 

 roads in thim ould times, an' the carriers only crassed 

 that way wanst a week." 



" ' We're hobbled, sure enough,' says the Major, 

 * we're hobbled, mam,' says he, ' an' I wish they'd 

 had manners to wait to be axed afore they'd come 

 into a man's house,' he says. 



" ' Couldn't ye shoot somethin' ? ' says Mrs 

 Moriarty. 



" ' Shoot a haystack flyin', mam,' says the Major, 

 for he was riz, an' when he was riz the divvle 

 cudn't hould him ; ' what is there for to shoot, barrin' 

 a saygull ? an' ye might as well be aitin' saw -dust.' 



" ' I seen three wild duck below on the pond,' 

 she says. 



