ring
another dish, "is the fowl."

[Illustration: PAGE 329-- A pair of enormous legs, with spurs on them]

On lifting the cover, a pair of enormous legs, with spurs on them an
inch and a half long, were projected at full length toward the guest, as
if the old cock--for such it was--were determined to defend himself to
the last.

"Well," said the stranger, "all I can say is, that I have got a very bad
dinner."

"Well, an' what suppose? Sure it has been many a betther man's case.
However, you have one remedy; always ait the more of it--that's the sure
card; ever and always when you have a bad dinner, ait, I say, the more
of it. I don't, think, sir, beggin' your pardon, that you've seen much
of the world yet."

"Why do you think so," asked the other, who could with difficulty
restrain his mirth at the fellow's cool self-sufficiency and assurance.

"Because, sir, no man that has seen the world, and knows its ups and
downs, would complain of sich a dinner as that. Do you wish for any
liquor? But maybe you don't. It's not every one carries a full purse
these times; so, at any rate, have the sense not to go beyant your
manes, or whatsomever allowance you get."

"Allowance! what do you mean by allowance?"

"I mane," he replied, "that there's not such a crew of barefaced liars
on the airth as you English travellers, as they call you. What do you
think, but one of them had the imperance to tell me that he was allowed
a guinea a-day to live on! Troth, I crossed mysolf, and bid him go about
his business, an' that I didn't think the house or place was safe while
he was in it--for it's I that has the mortal hatred of a liar."

"What liquor have you got in the house?"

"No--if there's one thing on airth that I hate worse than another, it's
a man that shuffles--that won't tell the truth, or give you a straight
answer. We have plenty o' liquor in the house--more than you'll use, at
any rate."

"But what descriptions? How many kinds? for instance--"

"Kinds enough, for that matther--all sorts and sizes of liquor."

"Have you any wine?"

"Wine! Well, now, let me speak to you as a friend; sure, 't is n't wine
you'd be thinking of?"

"But, if I pay for it?"

"Pay for it--ay, and break yourself--go beyant your manes, as I
said. No, no--I'll give you no wine--it would be only aidin' you in
extravagance, an' I wouldn't have the sin of it to answer for. We have
all enough, and too much to answer for, God knows."

The last