t, they attribute it to some secret prejudice which he
entertains against them.

Their method is to get a story completely by heart, and to tell it, as
they call it, OUT OF THE FACE, that is, from the beginning to the end,
without interruption.

'Well, my good friend, I have seen you lounging about these three hours
in the yard; what is your business?'

'Please your honour, it is what I want to speak one word to your
honour.'

'Speak then, but be quick. What is the matter?'

'The matter, please your honour, is nothing at-all-at-all, only just
about the grazing of a horse, please your honour, that this man here
sold me at the fair of Gurtishannon last Shrove fair, which lay down
three times with myself, please your honour, and KILT me; not to be
telling your honour of how, no later back than yesterday night, he lay
down in the house there within, and all the childer standing round, and
it was God's mercy he did not fall a-top of them, or into the fire to
burn himself. So please your honour, to-day I took him back to this man,
which owned him, and after a great deal to do, I got the mare again I
SWOPPED (EXCHANGED) him for; but he won't pay the grazing of the horse
for the time I had him, though he promised to pay the grazing in case
the horse didn't answer; and he never did a day's work, good or bad,
please your honour, all the time he was with me, and I had the doctor to
him five times anyhow. And so, please your honour, it is what I expect
your honour will stand my friend, for I'd sooner come to your honour
for justice than to any other in all Ireland. And so I brought him here
before your honour, and expect your honour will make him pay me the
grazing, or tell me, can I process him for it at the next assizes,
please your honour?'

The defendant now turning a quid of tobacco with his tongue into some
secret cavern in his mouth, begins his defence with--

'Please your honour, under favour, and saving your honour's presence,
there's not a word of truth in all this man has been saying from
beginning to end, upon my conscience, and I wouldn't for the value of
the horse itself, grazing and all, be after telling your honour a lie.
For, please your honour, I have a dependence upon your honour that
you'll do me justice, and not be listening to him or the like of him.
Please your honour, it's what he has brought me before your honour,
because he had a spite against me about some oats I sold your honour,
which he was je