Then continued he thus, in a still lower tone,
"Dearest! Much-better-half, 'tis no fault of my own,
But I'd rather explain to yourself quite alone."
"No, no, no!" cried each voice; "we will have it, sir, now."
And they clapped, stamped, and made such a terrible row,
That poor Murphy soon saw he no rest there should find
Till confessed, so thus spoke forth in accents resigned.
"Well my friends, you must know,
About eight years ago
I first went as a lad to old Donolly's farm;