and Katy was the light of Larry's eyes.

The children all went to school in the village, about a mile away.
Dermot Finnigen, the schoolmaster, was also a tailor, a barber, a bit
of a doctor, and a fiddler. He did very well at all his professions,
but he was greatest at fiddling.

From the first, Larry was the master's favorite--not because he was
particularly studious, but because he took to the fiddle as naturally,
Dermot said, "as a ducklin' takes to the wather, just." Indeed, the
boy showed such extraordinary talent for music, that, for the mere love
of it, Dermot gave him lessons, and often lent him an old fiddle to
practise on.

Larry had also a very sweet voice, and in singing the wild ballads of
the country, could make people laugh or cry, just as it pleased him to
do.

Larry coveted, more than any thing in the world, the old fiddle of his
master. Dermot was willing to sell it, as he had a better, but he said
he could not part with it even to his favorite pupil, for less than a
crown. Now Larry in all his life had never held so much money--so he
despaired of ever being rich enough to have a fiddle of his own.

One spring-time, when Larry was about twelve and Teddy fourteen, a
great trouble came upon the house of the O'Shaughnessys--the pig died!

One morning, soon after this sad event, as the two boys were on the way
to the little village, on some errand, a travelling carriage passed
them, driving rapidly. As it turned a corner, a small writing-case was
jolted off from one of the seats, and fell into the road. Larry picked
it up, and the two boys ran after the carriage, shouting to the driver
to stop. But he took them for beggars, and drove on the faster. So
they followed, for more than a mile, running at the top of their speed,
calling and holding up the writing-case.

At last, the carriage stopped, and the boys came up panting, and gave
the writing-case to a gentleman, who seemed very happy to get it, as he
said it contained valuable papers and money. He thanked the boys, and
gave them each a crown.

Larry's beautiful brown eyes danced with joy. "Arrah, Teddy," said he,
"sure this is a rale providince! I'll go immadiately an buy Dermot's
ould feddle."

"Faix thin, Larry, ye'll make thrue the sayin'--'a fool and his money
be soon parted.' _I'll_ go an' buy the Widdy Mullowny's pig, and fat
it for the Fair. It's meself that knows how to spind money in a
sinsible way. A feddle indade!"