"Bedad, there's no mistake about that, sir," replied Dan. "Would it be too great a liberty to ax what it is I'm indebted to for the honor of your company at this particular time?"
"Certainly not, Dan. The fact is, between you and me, I'm always present where there's such good cheer to be found as I see before me."
"Indeed, sir, an' would it inconvenience you much to sit somewhere else, for I'm mortial hungry at this present minit, an' I'm afeard I'd be splashin' your boots with the gravy."
"Anything to oblige," said the other, jumping over the edge of the plate, like a four-year old.
"Thank you, sir. I'll do as much for you, provided it's in my power," observed the hungry cobbler, drawing nearer a huge dish of curried lobster, the spice-laden steam from which would create a new appetite in repletion's self. Heaping up his plate, while his mouth filled with water at the glorious sight, he was just about to shovel a vast quantity into his capacious mouth, when a sharp
"Stop, Dan!" from the little jockey, arrested his hand mid-way.
"Do you know the result of your eating that mouthful?"
"Never a bit of me, sir," said Dan, making another movement towards his head.
"Ha! wait till I tell you," cried the other.
Dan stopped again. "This is wonderful tantalizin' to an impty Christian," said he.