much in a hurry after the pigs?"

"Sorrow to the tongue of me then that I tould yer riverence a word
about it!"

"But what are you in such a hurry about? Won't the pigs do as well at
Pat Brady's as they will down at Drumsna?"

"Why you see, Father John, after to-morrow is Friday, which wouldn't
do for the two legs of mutton Pat brought from Carrick with him
yesterday, and the fine ham, yer riverence, Mrs. McKeon, long life
to her, has sent us up from Drumsna; and Saturday wouldn't shute at
all, seeing the boys will mostly be dhrunk, which may be yer honer
wouldn't like on the morning of the blessed Sabbath."

"Nor on any other morning. Can't they take their fun without getting
drunk, like beasts? But drunk they'll be, of course. And why would
not Monday do?"

"Why that's next week, yer riverence!"

"You've remained single all this time, and only jilted poor Betsy
Cane last week; and are you so hot after Mary Brady that you can't
wait till next Monday to be married? Or is it the pigs, Denis? Are
you afraid Pat may change his mind about the pigs, as you did about
the cow?"

"Oh, drat the cow now, Father McGrath! and will ye never be aisy with
yer joke agin a poor boy? It was not about the pigs then, nor nothing
of the kind, but jist that I heard as how, but--" and Denis began
scratching his head--"yer honer 'll be after twisting what I'll be
tellin' yer, and poking your fun at me."

"Not I, my boy; out with it. You know nothing goes farther with me."

"Then it war just this, yer riverence, as makes me so hurried about
getting the thing done. I heard tell that Tom Ginty, the pig-jobber,
has comed home to Dromod from where he was away tiv' Athlone; and
they do be telling me, he brought a thrifle of money with him; and
yer honer knows Mary had half given a promise to Ginty afore he went:
and so, yer riverence, lest there be any scrimmage betwixt Ginty and
I, ye see it's as well to get the marriage done off hand."

"Oh yes, I see; you were afraid Tom Ginty would be taking Mary
Brady's pigs to Athlone. That was it, was it?"

"No, yer honer, I war not afraid of that; but it might be as well
there should be no scrimmage betwixt us, as in course there would not
be, and we oncet man and wife. But as in course Mary has promised me
now, she could not go and act like that."

"Why no, Denis, not well; unless, you know, she was to find your cow
would not have any calf; eh?"

"Oh, bother it for a calf then!"

"No; for