n the next day. There were
seventeen of them, and he said he'd never forget it.

"'Twas the Docthor's war speech that did ut," said Martin. "He had thim
all in Micky's shebeen--sure they'd have been there annyhow--and the
Docthor had volunteeerd himself; why not?

"Yes, the women and childer were admitted. Wouldn't they be wantin' to
know the way of it? Av coorse.

"You'd not keep them out annyway. 'Tis the whole of Ballymurky that was
there that night.

"'Twas an o-ration the Docthor gave thim. Ye could have heard a pin
drop. Isn't it mesilf that would be away there now, if they'd let me?
Didn't Patsy Doolan have to sit on me head to keep me from gettin' into
the thrain with thim?

"'Sure the KING knows ye've been drawin' the ould-age pension this two
years,' sez he. 'Won't he have it down in his note-book?' sez he; 'and
you wanten to pass for thirty. Gwan,' sez he."

Old Martin applied a piece of glowing turf to his pipe and sucked
audibly before continuing.

"Don't I remimber ivery wurrd the Docthor shpoke," said Martin
slowly--"och, the way he had with him.

"'The KAISER is it?' sez he. 'What would ye be askin' for betther?' sez
he. ''Tis this way and that way wid the KAISER,' sez he, 'and he'll not
be aisy till he's wiped Ballymurky off the map, so he would. And the
GERMAN EMPEROR is as bad,' sez he. 'It's Bairrlin or Ballymurky, boys,
so it is,' sez he; 'just that.

"'Is ut have the Germans over here in Ballymurky ye would?' sez he.
'Sure 'tis not butthermilk and praties they'd be contint with, Doolan,
me boy,' sez he; 'faith 'tis your pig they'd be afther atin. And 'tis
not you the KAISER would be decoratin' with an iron cross; 'tis more
like a lick of his shtick ye'd be afther gettin, Doolan--and the
thrubble ye've taken with the rarin' of the crayther. Och, ye could
nivver look the pig in the face again if ye shtayed.'"

Martin subsided a while to show me Doolan's pig, which was taking the
air outside. "And that," he remarked, "is corrosive ividence of what I'm
tellin' ye." The pig grunted his compliments, and Martin continued.

"'Wait till I tell ye what they did at Louvain,' sez the Doc. 'Whist
now, till ye hear this,' sez he.

"'Och, 'twas black murther they did there, the villians! The currse of
CRUMMLE seize thim,' sez he. 'Arrah! hould yoursilf in, you there,
Conlan,' sez he; 'go aisy, now,' sez he; 'sure they'll do worse here.
'Tis not satisfied with Louvain they'll be, Shamus; 'tis knocki