"And what gentlemen are these, Mrs. Kelly, who have so filled your house?"

"Gintlemen that came by the coach a while agone, and supping in the
parlour now, sure."

"Would you give my compliments, and ask would they allow me, under the
present peculiar circumstances, to join them? and in the meantime, send
somebody down the road to take the cushions out of my gig; for there is no
use in attempting to get the gig out till morning."

"Sartinly, Misther Murphy, we'll send for the cushions; but as for the
gentlemen, they are all on the other side."

"What other side?"

"The Honourable's voters, sure."

"Pooh! is that all?" said Murphy,--"I don't mind that, I've no objection
on that account; besides, _they_ need not know who _I_ am," and
he gave the landlord a knowing wink, to which the landlord as knowingly
returned another.

The message to the gentlemen was delivered, and Murphy was immediately
requested to join their party; this was all he wanted, and he played off
his powers of diversion on the innocent citizens so successfully, that
before supper was half over they thought themselves in luck to have fallen
in with such a chance acquaintance. Murphy fired away jokes, repartees,
anecdotes, and country gossip, to their delight; and when the eatables
were disposed of, he started them on the punch-drinking tack afterwards so