dispatching the beef and cabbage we have described. Two or three
large county Meath farmers, clad in immense frieze jackets, corduroy
knee-breeches, thick woollen stockings, and heavy soled, shoes, were not
so much eating as devouring the viands that were before them; whilst in
another part of the rooms sat two or three meagre-looking scriveners'
clerks, rather out at elbows, and remarkable for an appearance of
something that might, without much difficulty, be interpreted into
habits that could not be reconciled with sobriety.

As there is not much, however, that is either picturesque or agreeable
in the description of such an establishment, we shall pass into an inner
room, where those who wished for privacy and additional comfort might
be entertained on terms somewhat more expensive. We accordingly beg our
readers to accompany us up a creaking pair of stairs to a small backroom
on the first floor, furnished with an old, round oak table, with turned
legs, four or five old-fashioned chairs, a few wood-cuts, daubed with
green and yellow, representing the four seasons, a Christmas carol,
together with that miracle of ingenuity, a reed in a bottle, which stood
on the chimney-piece.

In this room, with liquor before them, which was procured from a
neighboring public house--for, in establishments of this kind, they are
not permitted to keep liquor for sale--sat three persons, two men and a
woman. One of the men seemed, at first glance, rather good-looking, was
near or about fifty, stout, big-boned, and apparently very powerful as
regarded personal strength. He was respectably enough dressed, and,
as we said, unless when it happened that he fell into a mood of
thoughtfulness, which he did repeatedly, had an appearance of frankness
and simplicity which at once secured instant and unhesitating good will.
When, however, after putting the tumbler to his lips, and gulping down a