in your days heard. Some men can swear so as to make green turf
crack! Have you iver heard the Curse in an Orange Lodge? The
Divil's Mass is ten times worse, an' Peg Barney was singin' ut,
whackin' the tent-peg on the head wid his boot for each man that
he cursed. A powerful big voice had Peg Barney, an' a hard swearer
he was whin sober. I stood forninst him, an' 'twas not me oi alone
that cud tell Peg was dhrunk as a coot.
354
"Good mornin', Peg,' I sez, whin he dhrew breath afther dursin'
the Adj'tint-Gen'ral; 'I've put on my best coat to see you, Peg
Barney,' sez I.
"Thin take Ut off again,' sez Peg Barney, latherin' away wid the
boot; 'take ut off an' dance, ye lousy civilian!'
"Wid that he begins cursin' ould Dhrumshticks, being so full he
dane disrernimbers the Brigade-Major an' the Judge-Advokit-
Gen'ral.
"Do you not know me, Peg?' sez I, though me blood was hot in me
wid being called a civilian."
"An' him a decent married man!" wailed Dinah Shadd.
I do not,' sez Peg, 'but dhrunk or sober I'll tear the hide off
your back wid a shovel whin I've stopped singin'.'
"'Say you so, Peg Barney?' sez I. "Tis clear as mud you've
forgotten me. I'll assist your autobiography.' Wid that I
stretched Peg Barney, boot an' all, an' wint into the camp. An
awful sight ut was!
"'Where's the orf'cer in charge av the detachment?' sez I to Scrub
Greene - the manest little worm that ever walked.
"'There's no orf'cer, ye ould cook,' sez Scrub; 'we're a bloomin'
Republic.'