rich, and I'd lead
a fine life with him. Scrape and clane him for somebody else, says I; no
such walkin' dungheap for me. Then they came to the cudgel, and flaked
me; but it was in a good cause, and I tould them that if I must die a
marthyr to cleanliness, I must; and at last they dropped it, and so I
got free of Bob Broghan.

"The next was a little fellow that kept a small shop of hucksthery, and
some groceries, and the like o' that. He was a near, penurious devil,
hard and scraggy lookin', with hunger in his face and in his heart, too;
ay, and besides, he had the name of not bein' honest. But then his shop
was gettin' bigger and bigger, and himself richer and richer every day.
Here's your man, says the old couple. Maybe not, says I. No shingawn
that deals in light weights and short measures for me. My husband must
be an honest man, and not a keen shaving rogue like Barney Buckley.
Well, miss, out came the cudgel again, and out came I with the same
answer. Lay on, says I; if I must die a marthyr to honesty, why I must;
and may God have mercy on me for the same, as he will. Then they saw
that I was a rock, and so there was an end of Barney Buckley, as well as
Bob Broghan.

"Well and good; then came number three, a fine handsome young man, by
name Con Coghlan. At first I didn't much like him, bekase he had the
name of being too fond of money, and it was well known that he had
disappointed three or four girls that couldn't show guinea for guinea
with him. The sleeveen gained upon me, however, and I did get fond of
him, and tould him to speak to my father, and so he did, and they met
once or twice to make the match; but, ah, miss, every one has their
troubles. On the last meetin', when he found that my fortune wasn't what
he expected, he shogged off wid himself; and, mother o' mercy, did ever
I think it would come to that?" Here she wiped her eyes, and then with
fresh spirit proceeded, "He jilted me, Miss--the desateful villain
jilted me; but if he did, I had my revenge. In less than a year he came
sneakin' back, and tould my father that as he couldn't get me out of
his head, he would take me with whatever portion they could give me. The
fellow was rich, Miss, and so the ould couple, ready to bounce at him,
came out again. Come, Alley, here's Con Coghlan back. Well, then, says
I, he knows the road home again, and let him take it. One good turn
desarves another. When he could get me he wouldn't take me, and now when
he wo