perusal, in the precise words in which I have so often had the pleasure
of hearing it:--

"My jewels, I was lyin' in bed one mornin', restin' myself, in regard ov
bein' dhrunk the night afore, wid Scroggins an' Jack Randall, an' some
more ov the boys; an' as I was lyin' on the broad ov my back, thinkin'
ov nothin', a knock came to my door. 'Come in,' says I, 'iv you're fat.'
So the door opened sure enough, an' in come a great big chap, dhressed
in the most elegantest way ever you see, wid a cockade in his hat, an' a
plume ov feathers out ov id, an' goolden epulets upon his shouldhers,
an' tossels an' bobs of goold all over the coat ov him, jist like any
lord ov the land. 'Are you Dan Dann'ly,' says he;--'Throth an' I am,'
says I; 'an' that's my name sure enough, for want ov a better; an' what
do ye want wid me now you've found me.'--'My masther is waitin' to spake
to ye, an' sint me to tell you to come down to his place in a
hurry.'--'An' who the devil _is_ your masther?' says I; 'an' didn't
think ye had one, only yourself, an' you so fine.'--'Oh,' says he, 'my
masther is the Prence Ragin.'--'Blur an' ouns,' says I; 'tell his honour
I'll be wid him in the twinklin' ov a bedpost, the minit I take my face
from behind my beard, an' get on my clane flax; but stop a bit,' says I;
'where does the masther live?'--'Down at Carltown Palace,' says he; 'so
make yourself dacent, an' be off wid yourself afther me.' Wid that away
he wint.

"Up I gets, an' away I goes, the instant minit I put on my duds, down to
Carltown Palace. An' it's it that's the place; twicet as big as the
castle, or Kilmainham gaol, an' groves ov threes round about it, like
the Phaynix Park. Up I goes to the gate, an' I gives a little asy rap to
show I wasn't proud; who should let me in but the 'dentical chap that
come to ax me up. 'Well, Dan,' says he, 'you didn't let the grass grow