toryteller, or perhaps a live old senachie, reciting
wild and stirring legends to his particular circle. Some were stretched
indolently on the grass, or lying about the ditches in the adjoining
fields, but by far the greatest and most anxious crowd was assembled
under the tree against which Buck English--for by this name was he
known--leaned. We should say here, however, that he was not called
Buck English, because his name was English, but in consequence of
his attempts at pronouncing the English tongue in such a manner as
he himself considered peculiarly elegant and fashionable. The man's
education was very limited, indeed he had scarcely received any, but he
was gifted at the same time with a low vulgar fluency of language which
he looked upon as a great intellectual gift, and which, in his opinion,
wanted nothing but "tip-top prononsensation," as he termed it, to make
it high-flown and gentlemanly.

Our friend "the Buck," as he was universally called, was no sooner
perceived in his usual station under the tree than there was a rapid
gathering of the assembled crowd to hear him.

"Hallo, Paddy! what's the matther? where are you goin' to in sich a hell
of a hurry?"

"Blood alive! man, sure Buck English is at his post to-day."

"How at his post?"

"Why under the three where he always is when he comes here af a Sunday."

"Hut! sure I know that; come, begad, let us hear him."

"Faith, it's he that's up to the outs and ins of everything. Sure the
Counsellor himself made mintion of him in a great speech some time
ago. It seems the Buck sent him up five pounds in a letther, and the
Counsellor read the letther, and said it came from a most respectable
gentleman, a friend of his, one Barney--no, not Barney--it wasn't Barney
he called him, but--but--let me see--ay, begad--Bir--Birnard--ay, one
Birnard English, Esquire, from the Barony of Treena Heela; bekaise, as
the Buck doesn't keep himself very closely to any particular place of
livin', he dated his letther, I suppose, from the Barony at large."

"At any rate one thing's clear, that he's high up wid the Counsellor,
an' if he wasn't one man in ten thousand he wouldn't be that."

They had now reached the tree, and found that, short as the time was, a
considerable crowd had already assembled about him, so that they were
obliged to stand pretty far out in the circle. One or two young men,
sons of most respectable farmers--for it somehow happened that the Buck
was no g