“Arra, go an’ kiss your wife, man alive, an’ tell her to have a good heart, an’ to be as kind to all her fellow-creatures as God has been to her this night. It isn’t upon this world the heart ought to be fixed, for we see how small a thing an’ how short a time can take us out of it.”
“Oh, bedad,” said Dandy, who had now recovered the touch of feeling excited by the child, “it would be too bad if I’d grudge her a smack.” He accordingly stooped, and kissed her; but, truth to confess, he did it with a very cool and business-like air. “I know,” he proceeded, “that she’ll have a heart like a jyant, now that the son is come.”
“To be sure she will, an’ she must; or if not, I’ll play the sorra, an’ break things. Well, well, let her get strength a bit first, an’ rest and quiet; an’ in the mean time get the groanin’-malt ready, until every one in the house drinks the health of the stranger. My sowl to happiness, but he’s a born beauty. The nerra Keho of you all ever was the aiquails of what he’ll be yet, plaise God. Troth, Corny, he has daddy’s nose upon him, any how. Ay, you may laugh; but, faix, it’s thrue. You may take with him, you may own to him, any where. Arra, look at that! My soul to happiness, if one egg’s liker another! Eh, my posey! Where was it, alanna? Ay, you’re there, my duck o’ diamonds! Troth, you’ll be the flower o’ the flock, so you will. An’ now, Mrs Keho, honey, we’ll lave you to yourself awhile, till we thrate these poor cratures of sarvints; the likes o’ them oughtn’t to be overlooked; an’ indeed they did feel a great dale itself, poor things, about you; an’ moreover they’ll be longin’ of coorse to see the darlin’ here.”
Mrs Keho’s mother and Rose superintended the birth-treat between them. It is unnecessary to say that the young men and girls had their own sly fun upon the occasion; and now that Dandy’s apprehension of danger was over, he joined in their mirth with as much glee as any of them. This being over, they all retired to rest; and honest Mickey M’Sorley went home very hearty,[3] in consequence of Dandy’s grateful sense of the aid he had rendered his wife. The next morning Rose, after dressing the infant and performing all the usual duties that one expected from her, took her leave in these words:—
“Now, Mrs Keho, God bless you an’ yours, and take care of yourself. I’ll see you agin on Sunday next, when it’s to be christened. Until then, throw out no dirty wather before sunrise or afther sunset; an’ when Father Molloy is goin’ to christen it, let Corny tell him not to forget to christen it against the fairies, an’ thin it’ll be safe. Good bye, ma’am; an’ look you to her, Mrs Finnegan,” said she, addressing her patient’s mother, “an’ banaght lath till I see all again.”
[1] This term in Ireland means “handsome”—“good-looking.”
[2] If it did not happen to be new moon, the words were “good moon,” &c.
[3] Tipsy.
THE MINSTREL’S WALK.
BY J. U. U.
(To the old Irish air of “Bidh mid a gol sa poga na mban.”)