wouldn't get warm now, they'd never warm. A happy night it is for
Fardorougha and the misthress, at any rate. I'll engage the stranger
was worth waitin' for, too. I'll hould a thrifle, he's the beauty o'
the world this minnit--an' I'll engage it's breeches we'll have to be I
gettin for him some o' these days, the darlin'. Well, here's his health,
any way; an' may he----"

"Husth, arogorah!" exclaimed the mid-wife; "stop, I say--the tree afore
the fruit, all the world over; don't you know, an' bad win to you, that
if the sthranger was to go to-morrow, as good might come afther him,
while the paarent stocks are to the fore. The mother an' father first,
acushla, an' thin the sthranger."

"Many thanks to you, Mrs. Moan," replied Nogher, "for settin' me
right--sure we'll know something ourselves whin it comes our turn, plase
goodness. If the misthress isn't asleep, by goxty, I'd call in to her,
that I'm dhrinkin' her health."

"She's not asleep," said her mother; "an' proud she'll be, poor thing,
to hear you, Nogher."

"Misthress!" he said in a loud voice, "are you asleep, ma'am?"

"No, indeed, Nogher," she replied, in a good-humored tone of voice.

"Well, ma'am," said Nogher, still in a loud voice, and scratching his
head, "here's your health; an' now that the ice is bruk--be goxty, an'
so it is sure," said he in an undertone to the rest--"Peggy, behave
yourself," he continued, to one of the servant-maids, "mockin's
catchin': faix, you dunna what's afore yourself yet--beg pardon--I'm