shnug lump of a farm-house an the Scariff road. The' wor a purty large family o' them, and rinted twelve acres of right good land: but, somehow or another, the' wor not a well ordhered family, by rason of neglecting mass, an' dhrinking whiskey. Paddy Clune himsilf might be at or over fifty at this time, and his wife nigh hand it. They had four boys. and two girls at home wid 'em, 'most of all ages betune ten and twenty-four, an' not wan of 'em

winds, and, for a "consideration," they would even sell them to mariners, "warranted to blow fair for them as per agreement." Hence, of course, the term "trade-winds." Who bought the original trade-winds does not seem to be recorded, but he must have been a deep fellow, as the bargain holds good to the present day. They would even sell themselves, it being well known at that time of day that Trismegistus's father had one bound to him for twenty-eight years! Nor should we omit to de-could read, or write, or say catechism, (them was scribe the subterranean devils who are the chief directors of earthquakes, and very jealous of our poor miners, often whipping off a bunch of ore when just within reach. They are particularly numerous in Tipperary; and, by their mischievous pranks, have caused great losses to adventurers, who might perhaps have made large fortunes but for their jealousy and interference.

Water nymphs and naiades are sometimes mischievous in Ireland-as, for instance, they were last year so restless, splashing the water about, that they hardly gave us one dry day; and a boatman on Inchiquin lake gravely assured me they made such noises at night that he never could row about till after sunrise.

The rivers of Germany are full of them, particularly the Danube. When in Germany some years ago I had myself the honour of seeing a fine specimen, a maid from the bottom of the Danube, called "Das Donau Weibchen;" and shall never forget her lovely form, or the soft strains of delicious music which accompanied her movements.

dark times, yer honor, an' swearing and dhrinking times, but it won't be so, plase God!) So what could the craturs do, but be gagging, and humbugging, and desaving, an' dhrinkin', an' fightin,, an' tellin' lies among the neighbours; an' what was worst of all, 'ud be intherfaring wid the 'good people,' an' crassin' an' making game uv 'em, an' long enough the' put up wid the thratement; but if the' did, the pay-day kem at last!

"It was just at the edge of the last hard winter we had in these parts, an' they wor all sittin' wan evening round the hearth, an' over the fire there was a great pot of p'tshaties nigh hand upon the bile, an', bein' hungry enough, the tongues uv 'em wor moving about inside ther jaws, an' acrass ther mouths. All at wans't aff went a big crack. "What's that at all?' said ould Paddy. Mick, did you hear it?' siz he.

"I did,' siz Mick.

May be it's the good people,'

Well, there was a grate big hape o' turf stacked up in wan corner of the kitchen, an' in wan minute more there was another crack, that med the ould woman jump up clane aff uv her stool.

"Tunder an' turf! what soort a' thricks are ye at now, boys?' siz she.

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'None in life, mother,' siz Jemmy. It must be the cat afther a mouse in the turf, or, may be, it's a rot she's got,' siz Jemmy.

As for mermaids, the rocks and waves of the ocean claim them; but strange to say, they seldom visit the shores of Ireland. Thousands must have seen them, or how could they have been so accurately described, with their looking-glasses in one hand, and small-tooth combs in the other? They give a decided preference to Scotland; and if our gallant neighbors will coax them their way, we can- "I wish it was that ould hag that turn'd the milk not help it, happy and proud enough with our own an' me this mornin', siz Biddy, or the wan that sweet girls-indeed, we would not give one of our sharmed the butther yesterday! an' another bang warm-hearted, rosy-cheeked milkmaids for a hun-wint aff as loud as a blunderbush! dred mermaids.

What particular kind of devils, witches, sprites, or fairies, were concerned in the tricks and outrages which I am about now to relate, I never could find out; but assuredly the following occurrences caused not only great alarm in my neighbourhood, but actually, as was said, baffled for a time the power of the priest, were the cause of a numerous family being obliged to quit a snug farm, and have never yet been openly accounted for on any other principle but that of being a deserved punishment for irreverence towards the "good people," or fairies. Рuck must have had instructions to punish this family severely, because every member of it felt its vengeance. The narrative.is quite current in this part of Clare, and the account as familiar to numbers as the other stories.

I have heard different versions of this tale, but prefer the relation of it as given by my neighbour, Ned Hurly, (a shrewd fellow, by the by,) and shall endeavor to keep to his own words as near as I can. "O! then, them Clunes was the unlucky people! an' so well as the' might a' done! but I'll tell yer honor all about it as near as I have it meself.

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Get up, Jemmy, an' look inside the turf,' siz the ould man. 'What's it at all now?' siz he. "O father!' siz Jemmy, there's a great big pair of eyes looking at me full in the face out uv the turf, an' hapes o' things moving about up an' down! O pull me away out o' this! I can't stir a fut, or them eyes 'll break my collar-bone!' siz he.

"The words wor hardly out of Jemmy's mouth whin a tundering big clod of dirt kem down the shimminy, an' sich a cryin' an' bawlin' as the ould woman an' her daughters sot up! an' thin the turf began swellin' up like a wave av the say, an' sint Jemmy down on the flat uv his back, an' a hard sod flew out and fetch'd Mick a rattlin' blow on his head!

"Jemmy sprung up an his feet, and Mick fell to cursin' an' swearin'; an' Be this an' be that,' siz he, scratchin' his poll, Musha be the grey goat-an' that's a hairy oath, (the devil from me!) but I'll kill some o' you if ye don't stop,' siz he. An' hardly wor the words out iv his ugly mouth but up comes a shower av turf sods out av the corner, rattlin' and dhriven about ther heds, an' sorra wan uv 'em at all but didn't get a couple of turrible pelts at fursht go aff! The ould man had the wig hot aff his head, an'

Av coorse the' riz up at peep o' day, an' wint aff all together to ther own house, an' found the dure quite asy to open, an'-your honor may believe it or not, but what I tell you is the thruth as I had itthey found as clane an' tidy a kitchen as was ever seen! There was all the turf stacked nate an' reg'lar in the corner, an' a fine clear fire burnin', but the pot the p'tshaties was in, was taken aff the fire, an' not wan lumper left, but the shkins av all o' them laid mighty nately settled at the bottom of the pot!

his wife was tumbled an her hands an' knees, an' to hear mass. But, however, nothin' more happen'd thin rowl'd over an' over, dhrivin the air wid her that night, an' they all had their bellies full of p'tshaheels, an' all uv 'em tearin', an' swearin', an' bawlin' ties an' slept sound enough. a thousand murdhers; an the harder they swore (the Lord save us!) the thicker the turf-sods wor flying, great vollys an' showers entirely, till the' wor nighhand smuddered undher the turf, an' not wan sod left in the corner, nor a livin' sowl to be seen but thimselves. So whin the turf was all out o' the corner, there was a little pace, to be sure, an' the' help'd pull one another aff av the flure an' hills o' turf, an' Mick, an' Jem, 'an Biddy swearing worse than ever, an' callin out, Bad luck to ye, whoever ye are, an' whatever ye are ! (think of them words, yer honor!) and to the devil we'll pitch ye!' and so the' went an; an' if the' did that minnet the big pot of lumpers began to bile over, an' up comes one clane out av the pot, an' hot Jemmy plump an the nose! an' thin another riz b'iling hot, an' gov Jemmy a turr'ble pelt an the face, an' another nigh tuk the very ear clean aff Biddy's head. O be the powers!' Having thanked Ned Hurly for his story, I told siz Mick, we'll be ruined,' siz he. O wisha-him I felt curious to know what became of the wisha siz Biddy, what'll I do? I believe the ear Clunes? o' me is gone!' siz she.

Well, yer honor, they thought the shtorm was all over thin, an' all 'ud be smooth an' aisy enough. But see how misthaken the' wor. For that same night every thing was tasst an' thrown about jist exactly as before, only a great deal worse entirely, an' av coorse what could the' do (the blashfaymers) but move out o' THAT?'

"O! thin, yer honor, the' wint away aff to the West, bag an' baggage, where I'm affaird they're been badly enough off, but now they've been wid Father Matchew it's most likely they'll recover thimsilves."

"But tell me," I said, "who is living in their farm now?"

"Faix! a very knowin' blade, yer honor, one Pat Foley."

"An' with that up comes the whole contints av the bi'ling pot of p'tshaties, like a shower of balls out av a big cannon, an' knocked the ould couple down again, all the shildher, big an' little, sprawlin' an' skraming, an' yellin' an' kickin' an the flure! But the ould woman was the first upon her legs, an' bruised enough she was, an' scalded; but at anyhow if she was, she made a shift to rache the dure, but sarro wan bit 'ud it open for the hills o' turf that was "And was he living near the Clunes at the time?" druv up before it; but the windy was purty handy, by "To be sure he was, sir, wid his father-in-law hard rason ther' was no frame or glass to it; an' so she by, for he married a girl of the Dennys; but he had shqueedg'd hersilf through, an' hilp'd the youngest of no place while them divilments was goin' an. So the shilder afther her, an' thin the ould man shcram-whin the Clunes left, he spoke to the agent, and ped bled away wid himsilf, an' so did Biddy, an' Mick, the ould man for his craps, an' got the lase med over an' Jemmy, an' all uv 'em, wint aff to Tim Houri- to himsilf, an' wint into the house immadiately." gan's an' the neighbours wor all kind enough to thim, "And was not afraid of the good people?" but turr'bly frightened, an' Tommy Whelun, the schoolmasther, wint aff to tell Father Doyley-who is a right good man,—an' Charles Sullivan, the smith, wint wid him, an' both agreed on the road how it was, an' wondher'd the "good people" had put up wid that same thratement so long; un' so did his rivirence say the same thing, an' that it could never be expected he should interfere for them that neglected.

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Not a bit av it, yer honor! an' why shud he be, ' an' he goin' so constant to mass, an' such fri'nds wid the priesht? Sure his rivirince settled the whole business for him, wid holy wather an' other things meself doesn't know, in wan night!"

"I see it all now, I think, Ned."

"Be all the crasses in a yard of CHECK, уer honoran' so I thought you would!”

"What are you about?"

drop in on a cleaning day, above all other days in the year. This comes o' asking people any day! And, I say, Betty."

"Yes, mum."

"Show 'em into the parlour, d'ye hear; and say as your missus is a-dressing."

Werry well, mum," said Bettty, and scuttled away like a dry leaf before an autumnal wind.

Back to her bedroom rushed Mrs. Jenks, where her A-finishing these stairs, mum," replied Betty. first care was to shake and arrange the curtains of the "Bundle off with the traps' directly, and slip off bed and windows, and to spread a snow-white Marthat blue apron in a jiffy; for, as I'm alive, there's seilles quilt over the bed. Next came forth her holithem Browns just come out of the milk-shop, and are day cap, with its gay ribands, from a band-box; her making for the house. Provoking that they should" bit o' black silk," as she designated an useful gown,

which had seen two or three years' service on great | accompanying his pleasant thoughts by whistling a occasions, and been carefully reposing in lavender for popular air. the last three months; a pair of black silk hose, with cotton tops, shoes to match; and, lastly, a stiff-starched habit-shirt.

Mrs. Brown, who was of rather a dowdy' figurein fact, a living illustration of "it's as broad as it's long,"'-now made her way up the creaking staircase, to the imminent danger of the slender one-inch square balustrades, with a whity-brown paper parcel, enclosing her best cap.

"Well, we threatened to drop in upon you, and here we are at last," said Mrs. Brown.

6

And I am so glad to see you, I'm sure," replied Mrs. Jenks. "So unexpected a pleasure. Come in.' 'How well you're looking, my dear," remarked Mrs. Brown, and certainly, what with the flustration' of the varnish of yellow-soap, Mrs. Jenks' physiognomy did bear a strong resemblance to the ruddy flush of rude health. "And really I do like your new house amazingly, the sitiwation is so werry pleasant."

And hereupon the two ladies entered upon a discussion touching the domestic conveniences. Mrs. Jenks informing Mrs.Brown that there were four rooms,and a lean-to, forming a comfortable kitchen (twelve feet by six!) with such a delightful range; and a yard (five

"You stupid fool!" exclaimed Mrs. Jenks; "was ever" and in the next moment she had flown down the short and narrow flight, and almost over-yards by four!) for drying the clothes in: and indeed turning the half-bewildered girl, brushed into the front parlour to execute her own errand. The door, however, was locked! This was really vexatious, for Mrs. Jenks was compelled to mount a chair, and snatch the key from the top of the looking-glass, and discover the secret hiding-place to the menial.

But there was no time for reflection; she pounced upon the long oval box, which had only been returned that morning from the hair-dresser's; and had just scudded away to her dormitory when a vulgar "rattat" at the street door announced that her visiters had found out her number.

every comfort and accommodation that a small family could reasonably desire: her amiable visiter, all the while, interlarding the communication with sundry " delightfuls," "how agreeables," and "excellents," that at last the two gossips worked themselves up into such a social and engrossing confabulation that the poor man in the parlour was almost forgotten.

Meanwhile Mrs. B. was unbonneting, and arranging her attire at the glass.

What a fright I do look!" exclaimed she, alternately turning one side of her face, and then the other, and anon thrusting her "snubby" nose straightforward at the faithful mirror.

"Well, I'm sure!" cried Mrs. Jenks, smiling; but she did not say whether she was sure her friend was right or wrong in her assertion. Thar's a sweet pretty cap," continued Mrs. Jenks, flopping' upon a chair, and gazing admiringly at her head gear.

"How tiresome, to be sure-dear me !" soliloquized Mrs. Jenks, as she persevered in her ablutions.." That Mrs. Brown is such a prying creature too. She'll be poking her nose into every corner of the room, no doubt, and turning up the table cover, I dessay, to look at the mahogany; and that lazy baggage has not black-leaded the stove for this month, I declare. "Have you not seen it afore ?" said Mrs. B. indifWell, if people will pop in upon other people in this ferently; which, it must be confessed, was a sort of fashion, they must put up with what they find; but" fib" on the part of the lady, as it implied she had had it's very galling. Plague take the people!" the "article" some time, whereas she had only purchased it at a fashionable shop in "S'or'ditch" that very morning.

Notwithstanding all these troublesome reflections, she managed to throw on' her things in an unusually short space of time, although in her flurry' she put Excuse me taking notice," pursued Mrs. Jenks, both her stockings on the wrong side outwards, bent" but that dress is so werry ilegant. You really have sundry of her best mixed' pins, and snapped one tape in two.

6

"Didn't I hear a knock ?" inquired Mrs. Jenks. "It's Mr. and Mrs. Brown, mum."

"It's on'y us," said Mrs. B. from the parlour, for the thin partitions of this 'contract' house allowed every word of the colloquy to be overheard.

"Dear me! (What a fool you are, Betty!) Do walk up, Mrs. Brown, dear, and take off your things. Don't stand upon any ceremony with an old friend." Any money but ce-re-mony," said Mr. Brown, who had been looking over the blinds, and admiring the rurality of the dust-covered trees in the Square,'

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such taste. Is it a challis?"

Lauk! no, my dear, a chintz."

"Well, to be sure, now, at a little distance I'm certain nobody could—”

"That's just what I said, when the young man at Millington's throwed it on the counter. I was struck with it at once. I only went in to buy a pair o' common "kid" for every day, but I no sooner see the dress than I makes up my mind to have it, come what would, and I let B. have no peace till I got it, I can tell you."

"Did Williams make it ?"

"Williams-oh! no-no more Williams for me, my dear; she charged me so shamefully for trimmings and linings for the last thing she did for me, that I've done with her."

"Lor'! on'y think now; and such a customer as you've been, too.”

"Yes; I've a notion she'll find out her mistake," | Mrs. Jenks, opening the door a-jar, in order that the said Mrs. B. with much importance. "But there's prying eyes of her dear friend might not observe that some people as never knows which side their bread's buttered; for my part

Here a "rat-a-tat!" at the door announced the arrival of Mr. Jenks, and put an end to the conversation of the ladies. Mrs. Brown declaring that the sudden knock had made "her heart almost jump into her mouth," bustled after Mrs. Jenks, and followed her friend to the parlour.

Betty had just let in" her master, and the whole party were all standing up and talking together, nearly filling the little band-box of a room.

"Pray sit down, and make yourselves quite at home," entreated Jenks.

"Mrs. B. dear," said Mrs. Jenks, pointing significantly to a chair.

No indeed! that is your chair, I'm sure. P'r'aps Mr. Jenks likes the fire. I can't think

"Come, Poll, make yourself less," interposed Mr. Brown. And after a few more of those tedious preliminaries with which would-be-polite people plague themselves and their friends, the party were at last settled down in a posture as accommodating as the limits of the place would permit.

the "cupboard was bare," dexterously extracted a little tin-canister and a whity-brown bag, containing the remnant of a pound of the best lump-sugar.

Begging to be excused for only a few moments, she retreated to the kitchen, followed by the earnest hope of Mrs. B. that she would not put herself in the least out of the way on their account.

An animated gossip ensued in the parlour, which in about a quarter of an hour was interrupted by the appearance of the mistress of the house bringing in the tea-things, and followed by the " girl" bearing a very black tea-kettle, and a large plate containing several rounds of buttered toast, each about an inch in thickness, which, in the absence of a dog" or a 'footman," was placed on the hob, vis-à-vis to the aforesaid tea-kettle.

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"We're all in a homely way," observed Mrs. J. 、 apologetically.

"Don't mention it-I'm sure," said Mrs. B. ; while her ready spouse aptly quoted, "Home's home, be it never so homely-Hease before helegance!"—and, "Vot 's the hodds, so long as you 're happy?"

And then they all laughed, and began to be ex

"It's rather a dusty day for the time o' year," ob-ceedingly merry.

Seating herself at the table, Mrs. J. in due form inquired of her visiters whether they took milk and sugar, although having been acquainted with them for the last ten years, it might be reasonably supposed that she was well acquainted with their palates in this particular. "B

"Yes; and what do you think?" said Mrs. Brown, "the stingy cretur wanted me to walk all the blessed way. But," says I, "we'd better spile a shilling than spile a dress, and (as luck would have it) I remembered 'twas bullock-day, and I should ha' bin frighted -," said Mrs. Brown, looking hard at her out o' my seven senses to have trapes'd through White-husband, and pointing at the plate. chapel-so we rid!"

"Lauk a-daisy me! you vimmen's sich fools!" remarked Brown. "There's a nothin' to be feared on now. I remember.ven I vos a 'prentice in S'or'ditch (there vos summat then to be scared at); vy, it vos then a rig'lar thing for every shop to put a chain across their doors for the people to run under. And vasn't there a nice scudding and scuffling in them days! my eye! Mondays a-specially. The veaver chaps from Spitalfields used for to come out vith sticks, and pick out a vild un from the drove, and avay they'd scamper, helter-skelter at his heels, a-hollering like

mad. And then the butchers bolted arter 'm vith

ropes, and a precious lark they had; for, tho' they made a rare fuss, they liked the sport as much as t'others. But the primest fun vos ven they cotched the hanimal, and fetched him home at night vith bis two horns tied. And vasn't there a paritc'lar mob o' tag-rag and bob-tail, that's all! But there's no doings o' that sort now-a-days," continued Brown. "The new police, and all thein 'ere new-fangled notions, has broke the sperrit o' the people, and abridged the liberty o' the subject. I vonder vot ve shall come

to next?"

He obeyed the signal, and handed round the toast.

Her

"Now do take the middle-piece," said Mrs. Jenks, turning towards her friend, and dropping the lump intended for her husband's cup into the slop-basin. Dear me how stupid I am," continued she. economy, however, remedied her stupidity, for she promptly "spooned" out the dissolving sweets, and consigned it to the destined cup. Having duly inquired whether the tea was to their liking

"Hexcellent!" declared Mr. Brown.

"I don't know how it is," said Mrs. B. "but you do make the best dish o' tea as ever I tasted anywheres." make it a rule to allow one spoonful a-piece for my "Glad you like it," replied Mrs. Jenks. "1 always company and one for the pot-that's my maxum— and I b'lieve it's a good un."

Having discussed the "hot water," Jenks proposed to his old crony his favourite game of cribbage, to which Brown acceding, he "hunted up" a dirty, wellthumbed pack of cards, the angles of which were considerably rounded, and an old cribbage-board with pegs of his own contrivance; the "women" having previously declared that they could amuse " themAfter this elegant lamentation over the lost plea-selves" with a social chat. And the Browns, after a sures and circumscribed amusements of the British great show of resistance to a declaration that they subject, with a sympathetic exclamation of" Ah! vot must positively be going, having at last consented to indeed!" accompanied by a shrug of the shoulders the proposal of Mrs. Jenks, that they should take their from Mr. Jenks, his spouse began to make prepara-bread and cheese" with them in a friendly way, the ladies retired up stairs, leaving the gentlemen to the undisturbed enjoyment of their game.

tions for a "dish o' tea."

Sorry to trouble you," said she, approaching Mrs. B. who was seated against the closet containing the tea and sugar.

By the light of a solitary store-candle, stuck in a brass-candlestick, Mrs. Jenks began to display her "Don't mention it, my dear," said her friend. And stock of finery to her dear friend, who vowed that her

By your leave, I'll have a pull at the half-andhalf afore I commences hoperation," said Mr. Brown. "Stay-do have a tumbler."

Thank'ye, no; I prefer it out o' the pewter," answered he; and taking the " quart" in his hand, he blew aside the froth of the " snow-capped" beverage, and took a "pull" (as he termed it) that would not have disgraced a pavior.

The demolition of the savoury viands now seriously occupied the undivided attention of the party, and effectually precluded any farther display of eloquence,

"I do really think," said Mrs. Jenks, when the cloth was cleared, "that we haven't only two tumblers in