ready for him. When it was placed before him it was only half boiled. He pretended (to notice) nothing, but to use the food as well as he could. “There is something the matter with my mother,” said he, in his own mind. “I don't know in the world what is coming over her. It would not be that bailiff that would be coming again. Mother,” said he, “there is something troubling you. Had the bailiff any further claim that day?” “Oh! he had not, Mickel, as much as a halfpenny. There is not a bit wrong with me but that I did not sleep much last night.” “The best thing you could do now, mother,” said Mickel, “is to go and take a sleep for yourself.” “It is a bad thing to sleep in full daylight, Mickel,” said she, “It would be better for a person to bear with it if possible, so as that he would have the sleep of the night good.”
Mickel went away up to Seadna’s, and went at his work. He had not two stitches put when there is his mother in after him. He raised his head and looked at her. Seadna raised his head and looked at her. “Seadna,” said she, “if you please, I should like to speak a word with you alone.” “Mickel,” said Seadna, “if you would walk out there for a little while.” Mickel walked out and put his back to a fence. “I don't know in the world,” said he, “what is coming over her, or what is this important business on which she seems bent.” There was a furze bush near him. He saw on the bush a little bee caught in a spider's thread. The spider jumped out from the place where he was hiding, and he made an attempt to catch the little bee. When she saw him coming the fright put double strength into her, and she broke the thread and went off.
Sheila. Oh! indeed, Peg, I saw a spider doing a thing like that, but if so, it was not a bee that was in the thread but a fly. And the spider caught the fly by the small of the back, and indeed it was no good for her to be shaking her legs nor struggling. He kept his hold until she was quiet enough. And then if you were to see how he rolled her up in the thread and how he carried her in with him.
Gob. I suppose he made bacon of her.
Sheila. He carried her with him at all events.
Peg. Mickel's spider did not carry the bee with him, because she went off from him. And when Mickel thought the little while was spent he returned to the house. When he was approaching the door he heard Seadna saying these words: “The worst death that ever a human being got, and to get it seven times running, would be a less evil for her than that I should marry her.” Mickel turned and made off before he heard any more. But if he did, no sooner was he at the furze bush again than he became exceedingly angry. “This is nice work,” said he in his own mind. “It is a disgusting business for my mother to come here matchmaking for Seve (the daughter) of Dermott Liath. Wait till I go home to-night!” At that moment he saw his mother approaching him and a white face upon her, the colour of the death. He sprang to meet her. “Mother,” said he, “what is the matter with you?” “Hush, hush! my son,” said she, in a whisper. “Go away in to your business. The other men are coming immediately.” Mickel went in. The door was wide open, and not a human being within before him. Seadna's place was empty. Mickel sat down and drew his work to him. The men came one by one. The work went on as usual. Seadna did not return that day.
Sheila. Whisper, Peg; sure it is not matchmaking for Seve Shivaun was?
Peg. What else, Sheila, dear? Sheila. For Mary “Short,” I'll engage. And I should think that if Mickel had any sense he would under- stand that much, see!
Gob. And how do you know, Sheila, that it was for Mary “Short” she was making the match, or how do you know was it a match she was making at all?
Sheila. Oh ! indeed there is very little doubt about it upon my mind. What did herself and Mary “Short” spend the night whispering about? What took the night's sleep off the two of them? What was the secret that Mary “Short” gave her? I know right well what they were about, I promise you.
Peg. I believe, Sheila, that you are not far from the truth, and that you are far more sharp-witted than Mickel Seadna did not return that day, and he did not return tliat night. Mickel remained to take care of the place. It is on him the wonder was when he found Seadna was not coming. He spent the night sitting in the sugaun chair. He thought from time to time that Seadna would be in the door to him. Three times he jumped up and went to the door. He heard a person's step he thought each time of them, and he would swear that it was Seadna who was there. The last time of them he thought he saw Seadna himself facing the door, and he loosened his mouth to speak to him, but when he looked more sharply there was no one there. He did not go to the door again. He remained in the chair near the fire. He put down a sod of turf now and again. He was there ever so long. He thought it impossible for any night to be so long. There was loneliness and trembling fear and nervousness upon him, and that did not leave him without a nod of sleep to be falling upon him from time to time. One nod of them fell upon him that was heavier than usual, and he saw the full of the house of little black people about him, and they all bent on doing him some injury, and one gentleman there and he protecting him from them. One of them slipped in behind the gentleman, and he made a drive at Mickel with his teeth exposed.
(To be continued.)
NOTES.
'"The oppression (?) of your tears may you not put away ! " What is the word uiAin ? ^Oicije is really a double comparative. 1p tjca means "it is the greater piobability," comparative of if D15 " it is probable, but used as if a posilive. Froni 015 is derived the abstract oca)'. 3 Expressive of deep dislike or disgust : Is beag orm Ifrionn fuar fliuċ, Baile bioṫ-ḃuan is seirḃe deoċ.
- For p inAf = according as :
Tar éis an díleann, fá mar leuġtar. 5 Participle formed rom verbal noun pAgiL, for pdgcA pAccA, or pAiJce. ^Or vocative "a infeAc," fem. '"Joaina, etc. ^There are many idioms of the prep. p p (also pAoi, and in Munster ir), to vvhich " under " does not corre- spond. ' Lit. by white of the day. "" Old Irish poiniciu, gen. poi'Oicen (= in modern spelling i:oi'DiT)e, poTOi-oeAn). The nom. varies with modern dialects, poi-it), ^roi'Di-oe, foi'one {- poii-one), etc. The student wiU recognise the resemblance betvveen old Irish nouns in ciu, gen. -cen, vvhich are numerous, and Latin nouns in -tio, tionis. " Also oubn aLLa, Siobn aLLa. .aLLa here and in mAC aLLa, an eeho ; mA-oivAT) aLLa, a fox, is the same as aLLai', vvild ; and is not the genitive of aiLL, a cliff. Scotch Gaelic has fnac talla, - echo, a further corruption.
