antly,
said, "May be you would not like a drop of the "real thing,"
to keep a merry Christmas with?" "What do you mane?" says
O'Regan. "Whiskey, to be sure," says the man. "Faith, and
it's I that would, "replied O'Regan, "provided it was good
and chape." "Och, by the piper of Kilrush," says the man,
"there has not been a noter, claner, more completer drop of
_Putshean_ (whiskey illicitly distilled,) smuggled across
the _Herring-brook_ (the Irish Channel,) for many a long
day, and as for chapeness, you shall have it for an ould
song." "You don't mane to say it's after being smuggled!"
says O'Regan. "Be my soul, but I do," rejoined the man,
"it's I and Jack Corcoran, a friend of mine, brought it safe
and sound into the Thames last Sunday, in the shape of a
cargo of butter-firkins, from Cork." "Could a body taste
it?"pursued O'Regan. With a couple of "why nots," says the
man, "I've a blather full of it under my oxther (his arm-
pit,) if you'll lind us hould of a glass." O'Regan said he
hadn't a glass handy, but he brought a cup, and the bladder
being produced, a fair taste was poured forth, which
O'Regan, having tippled it off, after collecting his breath,
swore was "the darling of a drop, it was the next kin to
aquafortis."--"Aqua fifties you mane" says the man,
"aquafortis is a fool to it." The next question was, as to
the price?"Och, by the powers," says the honest smuggler,
"as you're a countryman and friend, you shall have it for
ten shillings a gallon, and less than that I would'nt give
it to my mother." O'Regan thought this too much, and
proposed eight shillings a gallon; but, after much
chartering, he agreed to give nine shillings. The quantity
was next discussed. The man could not sell less than an
anker, four gallons. This was too much for O'Regan; but he
finally determined to get a friend to go partners, and
Higgins, who lodged in his house, was called down and also
indulged with a taste, which he likewise pronounced
"beautiful." It was then arranged, with strong injunctions
of secrecy, that the tub should be brought the next night,
in a half-bushel sack, as if it were coals, and the hour of
nine was appointed. The smuggler then departed, but was true
to his appointment. He came at the hour fixed on the
Wednesday