you don't leave that."

"Not finer cabbage in the world."

"Go out o' that now, 'while your shoes are good,'"[25] said Tom, seeing
he had none; for, in speaking of shoes, Tom had no intention of alluding
to the word _choux_, and thus making a French pun upon the _cabbage_--for
Tom did not understand French, but rather despised it as a jack-a-dandy
acquirement.

[25] A saying among the Irish peasantry--meaning there is danger
in delay.

"Sure, you wouldn't ruin my market, Misther Durfy."

"None of your humbugging--but be off at once," said Tom, whose tone
indicated he was _very much in earnest_.

"Not a nicer slip of a pig in the market than the same pigs--I'm
expectin' thirty shillin's apiece for them."

"'Faith, you'll get more than thirty shillings," cried Tom, "in less
than thirty seconds, if you don't take your dirty cabbage and
blackguard pigs out o' that!"

"Dirty cabbages!" cried the fellow, in a tone of surprise.

The order to depart was renewed.

"Blackguard pigs!" cried Paddy, in affected wonder. "Ah, Masther Tom,
one would think it was afther dinner you wor."

"What do you mean, you rap?--do you intend to say I'm drunk?"

"Oh no, sir! But if it's not afther dinner wid you, I think you
wouldn't turn up your nose at bacon and greens."

"Oh, with all your joking," said Tom, laughing, "you won't find me
a chicken to pluck for your bacon and greens, my boy; so,
start!--vanish!--disperse!--my bacon-merchant."

While this dialogue was going forward, several cars were gathered round
the place, with a seeming view to hem in Egan's voters, and interrupt
their progress to the poll; but the gate of the yard suddenly opened,
and the fellows within soon upset the car which impeded their egress,
gave freedom to the pigs, who used their liberty in eating the cabbages,
while their owner was making cause with his party of O'Gradyites against
the outbreak of Egan's men. The affair was not one of importance; the
numbers were not sufficient to constitute a good row--it was but a
hustling affair, after all, and a slight scrimmage enabled Tom Durfy to
head his men in a rush to the poll.

The polling was now prosecuted vigorously on both sides, each party
anxious to establish a majority on the first day; and of course the
usual practices for facilitating their own, and retarding their
opponents' progress were resorted to.

Scatterbrain's party, to counteract the energetic movement of the
enemy's vot