and I'll be saying till I'm an old woman:
"It's a cruel and a wicked thing to be bred
poor."
PRIEST -- turning up towards the fire. --
Let you not be crying, Sarah Casey. It's a
queer woman you are to be crying at the like
of that, and you your whole life walking the
roads.
SARAH -- sobbing. -- It's two years we
are getting the gold, your reverence, and now
you won't marry us for that bit, and we
hard-working poor people do be making cans
in the dark night, and blinding our eyes with
the black smoke from the bits of twigs we
do be burning.
[An old woman is heard singing tipsily
on the left.
PRIEST -- looking at the can Michael is
making. -- When will you have that can done,
Michael Byrne?
MICHAEL. In a short space only, your


22

reverence, for I'm putting the last dab of
solder on the rim.
PRIEST. Let you get a crown along with
the ten shillings and the gallon can, Sarah
Casey, and I will wed you so.