know you;" and Brady, shamed into
compliance, also went into his place.

"Now, Denis, the other side of her, boy; why, you're as awkward to
marry as shoeing a colt."

"Why then, Father John, that's thrue; for I shod many a colt, and
never was married."

"You'll not be so long, avick; and may be you'll know more about it
this time next week. But here's the plate; what do you mean to give
the bride? you must put something handsome here for Mary."

"Faix then I forgot about that;" and he put his hand into his pocket
and forked out half-a-crown, which, with a sheepish look, he put in
the plate.

"Half-a-crown, indeed, for a tradesman like you! There's Corney Dolan
there, who don't seem to have a coat that fits him too well, would do
more for his wife, if it was God's pleasure he was to have one this
night."

"Well, there;" and Denis put down another half-crown. This money,
which is always put down just before the marriage, is a bridal
present to the bride, and becomes her exclusive property.

"Well, Mary, you must be getting the rest of it from him another
time."

"Let her alone for that, yer riverence," said Corney Dolan--who
considered that Father John's allusion to his coat privileged him to
put in his joke--"let her alone for that; she knows how to be getting
the halfpence, and to hoult them too."

"It's a great deal you're knowing about it, I'm thinking, Mr. Dolan,"
retorted Denis; "it's a pity you couldn't keep the hoult of any
yerself."

"Wisht, boys! how am I to marry you at all, if you go on this way?
Come, Mary, off with that glove of yours; now for the ring, Denis:"
and Mary hauled away at the glove, which the heat of her hand
prevented her from pulling off.

"Drat it for a glove, then!"

"Ah, alanna, gloves come so nathural to your purty hand, they don't
like to lave it at all."

At last, however, Mary got her hands ready for action; the ring was
in the plate with the two half-crowns; Father John was standing
between the two matrimonial aspirants; Ussher and Feemy were close
behind Mary, and Brady was sitting down on the right hand of Denis;
and the priest opened his book and began.

The marriage ceremony took about five minutes; but during this time
Father John found occasion to whisper Ussher to come up close to the
bride; and then, after hurrying over a great part of the service
almost under his breath, he pronounced the final words--_salute
nostra_--in a loud voice, adding at the same t