Your very good health and song.

I'm a little hoarse, it's true, but if the company will excuse--' "And then he began knocking on the table with his knuckles, as if there was a room full of people asking him to sing.

In short, my father was drunk as a fiddler; the last brew finished him; and he began roaring away all kinds of droll songs, and telling all manner of stories as if he was at a great party.
"While he was capering this way about the room, he knocked down his hat, and with it a pack of cards he put into it before leaving home, for he was mighty fond of a game.
"'Will ye take a hand, Mr.Free ?' said he, as he gathered them up and sat down beside the fire.
"'I'm convanient,' said he, and began dealing out as if there was a partner fornenst him.
"When my father used to get this far in the story, he became very confused.
He says that once or twice he mistook the liquor, and took a pull at the bottle of poteen instead of the punch; and the last thing he remembers was asking poor Father Dwyer if he would draw near to the fire, and not be lying there near the door.
"With that he slipped down on the ground and fell fast asleep.

How long he lay that way he could never tell.

When he awoke and looked up, his hair nearly stood on an end with fright.