groves, and pleasant-looking white houses.

"What place is this?" said I to my companion.

"This is ---, your honour; and here, if your honour will accept a glass
of whiskey we will splice the mainbrace together."

"Thank you," said I; "but I am in haste to get to Swansea. Moreover, if
I am over fond of the drop, as you say I am, the sooner I begin to
practise abstinence the better."

"Very true, your honour! Well, at any rate, when your honour gets to
Swansea, you will not be able to say that Pat Flannagan walked for miles
with your honour along the road, without offering your honour a glass of
whiskey."

"Nor shall Pat Flannagan be able to say the same thing of my honour. I
have a shilling in my pocket at Pat Flannagan's service, if he chooses to
splice with it the mainbrace for himself and for me."

"Thank your honour; but I have a shilling in my own pocket, and a dollar
too, and a five-pound note besides; so I needn't be beholden for drink
money to anybody under the sun."

"Well then, farewell! Here's my hand!--Slan leat a Phatraic ui
Flannagan!"

"Slan leat a dhuine-uasail!" said Patrick, giving me his hand; "and
health, hope, and happiness to ye."

Thereupon he turned aside to ---, and I continued my way to Swansea.
Arrived at a place called Glandwr, about two miles from Swansea, I found
that I was splashed from top to toe, for the roads were frightfully miry,
and was sorry to perceive that my boots had given way at the soles, large
pieces of which were sticking out. I must, however, do the poor things
the justice to say, that it was no wonder that they were in this
dilapidated condition, for in those boots I had walked at least two
hundred miles, over all kinds of paths, since I had got them soled at
Llangollen. "Well," said I to myself, "it won't do to show myself at
Swansea in this condition, more especially as I shall go to the best
hotel; I must try and get myself made a little decent here." Seeing a
little inn, on my right, I entered it, and addressing myself to a neat
comfortable landlady, who was standing within the bar, I said:--

"Please to let me have a glass of ale!--and hearkee; as I have been
walking along the road, I should be glad of the services of the 'boots.'"

"Very good, sir," said the landlady with a curtsey.

Then showing me into a nice little sanded parlour, she brought me the
glass of ale, and presently sent in a lad with a boot-jack to minister to
me. Oh, what can'