a white swan, I found that Larry's account was believed in
preference to mine; the general opinion being that I fancied I had seen
the bird, though it was a ghost notwithstanding.

To do honour to my return, and to keep up the dignity of the family, my
mother and sisters considered it necessary to give a ball to the
neighbours, and invitations were issued accordingly. The major was
rather against the matter, on the score of expense, but he didn't hold
out as stoutly as usual. The preparations, however, were not on a very
extensive scale. Such flags and banners as were to be found in the
castle--many of them tattered and torn--were arranged so as to decorate
the entrance hall. The furniture was carried out of the dining-room--
the largest room in the house--and piled up in the dingy study.
Supper-tables were placed on one side of the hall; and my mother and
sisters, and all the females in the establishment, were engaged for some
days in manufacturing pasties, tarts, and jellies; while at the same
time sundry pieces of beef, ham, turkeys, and poultry were boiling and
roasting at the kitchen fire.

At the usual hour the guests began to arrive,--some in family coaches,
once covered with paint and gilt, but now battered and dingy; others
came in cars and gigs, and a considerable number of the fair sex on
horseback, having sent their ball dresses on before, by the invitation
of my sisters, who had promised their assistance in bedecking them. My
father complained that he was hurried away from the dinner-table that
due time might be obtained for making the necessary preparations. He
was left in his chair in the corner of the room, whence he watched the
proceedings with an expression which showed that he could not make out
exactly what was being done. I went up to him several times and tried
to make him understand.

At last the O'Maleys, the O'Flahertys, the Frenches, the Fitzgeralds,
the Burkes, the Geraldines, and the members of numerous other families
began to arrive, and Larry, habited in a sky-blue coat, a huge frill to
his shirt, pink breeches and green stockings, with four or five other
musicians, similarly attired, playing various instruments, took their
places on a raised platform which served as an orchestra.

A country dance was speedily formed, the couples standing opposite each
other, reaching from the top to the bottom of the room, and I had the
honour of leading out Miss Nora O'Flaherty, who was consider