Six in family, you say ?" "Six in family, wid the woman an' myself." "The sorra man livin' feels more for you than I do, an' I would let you have the meal if I could; but the truth is, I'm makin' up my rent--an' Jemmy, I lost so much last year by my foolish good nature, an' I gave away so much on trust, that now I'm brought to a hard pass myself.

Troth I'll fret enough this night for havin' to refuse you.

I know it was rash of me to make the promise I did; but still, God forbid that ever any man should be able to throw it in my face, an' say that Darby Skinadre ever broke his promise." "What promise ?" "Why, never to sell a pound of meal on trust." "God help us, then!--for what to do or where to go I don't know." "It goes to my heart, Jemmy, to refuse you--six in family, an' the two of yourselves.

Troth it does, to my very heart itself; but stay, maybe we may manage it.

You have no money, you say ?" "No money now, but won't be so long, plaise God." "Well, but haven't you value of any kind?
--: sure, God help them, they can't starve, poor cratures--the Lord pity them!" Here he wiped away a drop of villainous rheum which ran down his cheek, and he did it with such an appearance of sympathy, that almost any one would have imagined it was a tear of compassion for the distresses of the poor man's family.
"Oh! no, they can't starve.