t turn-out; the sort of thing a man might
not be ashamed to tool along through any town in Europe," said O'Shea.

"You might show it in Sackville Street!" said Joe, proudly.

"Sackville Street?" rejoined O'Shea, in an accent of contemptuous
derision. "Is there any use, I wonder, in bringing you all over the
world?"

"There is not," said the other, in his most dogged manner.

"If there was," continued O'Shea, "you'd know that Dublin had no place
amongst the great cities of Europe,--that nobody went there,--none so
much as spoke of it. I 'd just as soon talk of Macroom in good society."

"And why would n't you talk of Macroom? What's the shame in it?" asked
the inexorable Joe.

"There would be just the same shame as if I was to bring you along with
me when I was asked out to dinner!"

"You might do worse," was the dry reply.

"I 'm curious to hear how."

"Troth, you might; and easy too," said Joe, sententiously.

These slight passages did not seem to invite conversation, and so, for
above a mile or two, nothing was spoken on either side. At last Mr.
O'Shea said,--

"I think that gray horse has picked up a stone; he goes tenderly near
side."

"He does not; he goes as well as you do," was Joe's answer.

"You're as blind as a bat, or you'd see he goes lame," said O'Shea,
drawing up.

"There, he's thrown it now; it was only a bit of a pebble," said Joe,
as though the victory was still on his side.

"Upon my life, I wonder why I keep you at all," burst out O'Shea,
angrily.

"So do I; and I wonder more why I stay."

"Does it ever occur to you to guess why?"

"No; never."

"It has nothing to say to being well fed, well lodged, well paid, and
well cared for?"

"No; it has not," said Joe, gravely. "The bit I ate, I get how I can;
these is my own clothes, and sorrow sixpence I seen o' your money since
last Christmas."

"Get down,--get down on the road this instant. You shall never sit
another mile beside me."

"I will not get down. Why would I, in a strange counthry, and not a
farthin' in my pocket!"

"Have a civil tongue, then, and don't provoke me to turn you adrift on
the world."

"I don't want to provoke you."

"What beastly stuff is that you are smoking?" said O'Shea, as a whole
cloud from Joe's pipe came wafted across him.

"'Tis n't bastely at all. I took it out of your own bag this morning."

"Not out of the antelope's skin?" asked O'Shea, eagerly.

"Yes; out of the hairy bag with the