down and think who was likely to be unlucky, or who ever was guilty of a transgression. That was soon found out; and then she considered it was likely the fault lay at their door. For the first day or two she would only let out a whimper of a suspicion to whoever was in favour at the time, till, by rummaging in her own fancy, before the week was out, she was positive about it; and then she would swear a hole through a ladder, only she never swore, that what was unpossible was

true.

To shew my meaning, afraid that people might think I was over hard upon her, I will tell all about the glass sallad-bowl, that was near sending Sally Greene, the dairy-maid, away, she was so affronted, and kep me crying the whole day and night, without putting a bit into my head. Not a bit of business had my aunt to meddle with that bowl, it being in the care of James Preston, the footman; but, if she was in a hurry, she would snatch anything next her hand that was convenient, whether it would answer or no. Wanting something to hold the flour she was going to try and make paste with, she thought it too much trouble to ask for the proper vessel, and, seeing the pantry door open, and James out of the way, she carried off the sallad-bowl to her own room. How it happened nobody could ever tell; she said it only got the smallest clink with the rolling-pin; but, be that as it may, in a few minutes out she walked, with the beautiful article broke into three halves, as if you cut it with a knife. James was all of a heap with confusion. "Oh! Mrs. Mc Master," says he, "what call had you at all to my charge? Haven't you plenty of things of your own to dabble about with, and not meddle with mine? at any rate, it is you will have to answer for it to the mistress." "I will do no such thing," says my aunt, sharply; "I am sure and certain it was cracked before. Any body with half an eye may see that it never would have come to pieces in my hands, if it got fair play by them that ought to be minding their business." There was no use in James clearing himself; she would have it that he cracked it, and then rummaged in her own mind to find out how it happened. Well! what did she fix on at last? That Sally, my own self, and James did it between us in a fit of roistering!! and, for no other reason, only because the day

her

before she heard us laughing, as well : behaved as any two girls, at him for slipping on the floor, when he was run ning to answer the hall-door. As I said before, Sally took it so to heart, that she was off with herself, only the mistress interfered, saying, that things would happen any day; and gave orders steady, that nobody must cry, or rise an argument about smashes. Still my aunt was positive in her own mind, that we were the offenders; and, though she didn't speak out, she believed it to her dying day. If the word "sallad" was said before her, for many a long year after, she would give a little cough, shake her head, and look from under her eyes over at me, as much as to say, "where is the blush is your face?"

To tell the truth, she was the only cross we had; for, take us altogether, there never was a happier set, the envy of far and near. Every body was com fortable and content about the place, and, as for my aunt's contrariness, it seldom gave uneasiness to talk about Not a loud word was heard from them up stairs from year's end to year's end, barring for lies; and not much of them was told, but by a new comer, now and then, for there was no toleration for them above or below; or when the master had to advise Briney Cori gan, the turf-boy, who would go to the bad every three months, if he wasn't well threatened and fretted into his duty.

Some thought they encouraged in nocence too much; but, in the end, I don't see they came to any damage by ! it. If Ned Ovens was not so smart a carpenter as Pat Nolan, he was an honest creature, civil and slow. The track of his tongue was never heard after him, nor the smell of sperrits seen in his company; and, if every body i took advantage of him, the sin and the shame was theirs, not his. The worst didn't grudge him a good word, he was so harmless. Even my aunt always spoke largely of him, because he never cleared himself of bad glueing and nailing, when things came to damage by her means. He was so fond of us all, that he would rather do any little job at the glebe for nothing, than work for high wages any where else; not but he was always paid cheerful, as if he was a master builder.

I can say the same of Briney Cori gan, though he wanted chastising more nor he got, and when his mind

vas riz, would talk as if the house couldn't do without him. He was the vonderful Briney, sure enough! When I think of him, I cant help reflecting bout consate; how it comes where it has no business; and brings foolishness and rashness in its company. But I'll say no more of Briney, nowhe poor foolish boy! I'll come to im in another part of my story.

As for Hannah, the first cook we ad, she was cracked, if ever woman vas. She was a timrous, fidgeting reature, that could dress a dinner for he lord lieutenant, and make the loviest gravy out of nothing; besides utting turnips and carrots into twenty hapes. But, with all that cleverness, he didn't gain proper respect from hem under her, one time being as high is the moon, and the next, playing the merryandrew for them. If they flatered her, after the place was readied p of an evening, she would take off tage dancers, hopping and jumping bout the kitchen like a wild frog; or, maybe singing after an outlandish nanner, between a screech and a snufle. The very next minute she would all to crying after somebody that was lead long ago, or that she was afraid aight die before her, and usually nished all by going to bed in the dark o vex them, when she found they were aughing at her. At last they were orced to pension her off, she was geting so flighty; but she left the house with the good-will of big and little. Every body was sorry for her, only it was out of the question.

Then, there was Kitty Dove, him hat was made gardener, after old Tom Fury's death. He was another creeper hat the mistress took a fancy for, beause he was never tired doing his usiness, and took directions without iving advice; though it was well nown be thought there was too much urled parsley wasted in the kitchen; nd morally hated old Miss Brandley r carrying away nosegays, every time me went into the garden. He had a onderful knowledge of his trade, condering his slow speech. I believe he ould know his own sollary or cabbage America; and I doubt if he wasn't ore tender of what grew out of the Found, nor many would be of their wn flesh and blood. It was a comon saying in the family, that if any ne could make pot-herbs and flowers derstand what was said to them, it s that same Kitty, he was so well quainted with them. The young

ladies and gentlemen had their own fun with him, telling him hard names for the green-house; but the mistress wouldn't allow one word in his disparagement, after he sent in sea kale, as thick as my arm, at Christmas, and plainly confessed to Master Harry pulling the two peaches, though the poor child, that he loved nearly as well as himself, wasn't let into the garden again all the harvest.

Joe Rogers had the care of the cows; and, let them say what they pleased, and they said plenty, I never could see much to fault in him, if he wasn't so hard of hearing, and walked uneven on his legs, and his head a one side. Whoever thought much of themselves, Joe was not the man. He would take a check from any runner that had no business to put in his word, and stand parleying with them, when he ought to bid them hold their tongue. He couldn't go about any thing as if he knew how to do it, no, not what he had to do every day of his life. Then all the blame in the place might be laid on him, and if he was fending and proving from morning till night, the not a word would he know how to say for himself, being seldom sure whether he was right or wrong. The cattle knew his failing just as well as the rest of the people, and paid him no attention; one unruly cow in particular, that could be tolerable obedient to the dairy-maid, but, if he said a word of rebuke, while she was milking, her foot was in the pail that minute, to shew the little value she set on him. More nor that, I don't think the calves themselves would think it worth their while to sup their milk when he held the can, if hunger did'nt make them mannerly; and he might whistle and shout his life out, before a hoof would move at his bidding, till the dogs helped him, more, I can well believe, for the sake of the gallop, and liking to see the cows kick up their heels before them, than for any feeling for Joe. What kep him in his place was his stupidity and his wife. She was a terrible woman at the tongue, with the use of her hands besides; so it was more comfortable for Joe to leave the house to herself by day. There was no resort allowed to her about the glebe, where wickedness in man or woman had little welcome. By that means he was saved many a bargeing, and many a sore back; and the master and mistress being pitiful about his infirmities and his crosses, when he

had no misdemeanour, let him shuffle on after the cows, in great peace and toleration.

The boy from the gap didn't belong to us at all. He got no footing inside the house; nothing but his dinner on Sundays and Thursdays. He was an ill thriven, sickly thing, and lazy into the bargain. Work was often laid out for him, but it wouldn't agree with him; not so much as weeding in the garden of a fine summer's day, or sweeping the yard after a hurry of potatoes. He was not the sort to bring credit to a gentleman's place, by being seen about it, and still you couldn't help pitying him. He had no friend to look to for a night's lodging, after the master that took him 'prentice out of the charter school, to learn the weaving, died. The poor man had a heavy handful of him for near thirty years, as he was fit for nothing but to sit by the fire, with a child on his lap, or carry a can of water from the well; but he shared what he had with him to the last; and it was only when death broke up the house, that he had the wide world for an inheritance-a poor portion that is for them that has nothing else and the boy from the gap had no consolation before him but starvation, if the people at Curraghbeg, and another lady hadn't undertook to look after him. He was the very moral of what you might safely call a forlorn bird, in his way of sitting and looking; not but I often had my suspicion, that he might, of an odd turn, be more lively, if he wasn't afraid of being asked to find out if his hands were made for nothing only to carry victuals to his mouth. He was the lucky boy, any how, for he lived like an estated man, without cost or care; and, if he had more discretion, it would only be a hindrance to his ease. As I remarked before, he had no right to be counted in the family; though many judged, by seeing him going in and out so often, that he belonged to us. And, moreover, the master gave countenance to the report; for, he often said in a joke, when herself would put him up to find fault with any of them, that it was she ought to get the reprimand, for keeping such a pack about her, and that if there was a half-witted orphant in all Ireland, they would be sure to find their way to Curraghbeg, and fix them

selves there for life.

If some of the Christians deserved that character, it didn't belong to the

dumb brutes that lived under our roof. Old as I am, I will take it on me to say, that a more sensible set of cats, and dogs, and rabbits, and birds, and pigeons and sparrow-hawks couldn't be found in the three kingdoms, leaving out the ugly little cur, Cleopatter, that Miss Kate countenanced, because she was found youlling on the road, without a friend to own her.

The cats that I most favoured, in my time, was Lilla, Harriet, and Mulvy. She had her name from the woman that reared her. Of all them three, Lilla was the most fitted for a gentleman's house, never desiring to leave the hearth-rug, and not given to hunt for mice, unless, like fools, they just walked into her mouth. She was spoiled for that trade when she was a kitten; for Miss Fanny, who owned her, told myself, she was then about eight, or going on nine, that she didn't chuse a cat belonging to her to have the vulgar trick of catching rats and mice. And indeed, she was so watch ed, and warned, and fed, and petted on laps, that she gave no uneasiness that way. However, she had a genteel taste of her own, for all the canaries went down her throat, one after the other, till the mistress's heart was broke, and she gave out her command's that no more bird-cages should com inside the house. I may as well tell the truth, though I joined in abusing Lilla, yet, when the last came to a bad end, and the cage sent a packing, didn't feel half as sorry as I ought, fur they gave me more trouble nor sis grown-up people. There is no keeping. a house clean where ever so little a bird has liberty to be splashing and throwing about seeds, morning, noos and night, not counting the dread of their lives when the family leaves home, and wont take the cats with them. Still, I took good care to keep my mind to myself, for fraid my aunt might say it was my doing, and not the cats, she being partial to Lilla, because she was no thief. And though she was my aunt, I may say it now, that she often left a door open after her that ought to be kep shut.

But Mulvy was the cat that didn't get her living for nothing. I never laid my eyes on such a mouser. She would lie in the same spot for the length of the day, without stirring watching for her enemy; and, if shewed but an inch of its snout, po she was on it, and there was an end it. That cat never got the credit she

eserved, from the fashion of making ree with what didn't belong to her. My aunt was too hard upon her for the eg she ran away with, the day there vas so little cold meat for the comany's lunch, and she trying to make he most of the turkey, by cutting it up in joints, and spreading it over the lish, garnished thick with tonguegrass. From that hour she was the worst in the world. Yet, after all, what prudence was to be expected from a cat, brought up in a cabin, where her life depended on what she could snatch? But my aunt was not the woman to make allowances. We never could rear a kitten of her's, for, do what we could, they would take to eating crickets, and died off by degrees, till, when she went, the last of the breed went with her.

With a

Poor Harriet didn't turn out as well as she promised. There are ups and downs in the world with cats as well as with living creatures, and Harriet had her share of them. She came to our house, just weaned, in a basket lined with wool, with a bracelet of blue riband tied about her neck in a bow knot, as mild and gentle as a lamb, and a great admiration to the whole family. If I was put to my affidavit, I could declare that there was no pains spared in her edication, though my aunt used to hint at me, and Master George, who claimed her as his property, often said, somebody," meaning me, for he doated alive on my aunt," was to blame." safe conscience I can say I did my best by her, whipping and dragging, and rubbing her nose till you thought not a bit would be left; but, at last, even her friends up stairs agreed that she could get no liberty through the house, and, beauty as she was, we had to banish her to the stables. The creature wouldn't live there; but made a lodging for herself in the scrubbery, near the hall-door; and as soon as one of the family walked out, there she was ready to attend them, like any lapdog, never shewing the smallest jealousy for being turned out. At mealtimes she would take her walk quietly to the kitchen window to ask for her share, and take it thankfully outside, when the others were served comfortable under the table. The mistress grew fonder of her every day, and gave directions to the dogs not to hunt her, which they dropped after one or two good beatings; and it's likely she

was as content, after a time, with her out-door lodging, as them that had a good fire to stretch themselves before. Any way, she had no one to blame but herself for her treatment.

Big dogs are a troublesome article to have about a house, they eat so much, and, when they are goodnatured, they jump upon one's back, and leave the mark of their dirty paws upon one's clothes. The four we had I often wished far enough, for that ugly freedom, though myself and the childer cried the full of your two hands the day some venemous ruffian poisoned poor Orlando Furioso, for being watchful over the property. The others were safe enough, big as they looked, for all the world knew they were asy cowed. Most of the little dogs, from Snap to Cicero, were pleasing company when one was alone, and all wise enough for their own ends; but, of all the dogs that ever came across me, Pincher flogged. He was a clumsy, bandy-legged, yellow, sulky-looking fellow, that had no call to the family, and was not a bit like one of them, being nothing but a follower of Tim Donnybrook, the steward, where he lived entirely, only all the day he was at his master's heels; and, if Tim's business brought him into the house, Mr. Pincher would make no bones of walking in after him, and stopping as long as he stayed, without ever making free with one of us. It is as true as you are standing there, that I was three years acquainted with that dog, before he once let on to know me from the greatest stranger, and Miss Fanny, who set her heart upon making friends with him, never, in all that time, got so much as a wag of a tail from him. Even if he met the master on the avenue, and that he said “well, Pincher," which was all the notice he ever took of any of them, not being addicted to dogs, not a haporth would the dark brute do or say, but slinge by as if he had neither eye-sight nor hearing. Yet he didn't want for penetration, or proper gratitude, for he took good care of his master's things, whether left in his keeping or not; and I believe he would have died of hunger sooner nor leave a faggot belonging to him, till himself or one of the childer came to claim it. If Tim had to go to a fair, Pincher stayed at his own house, till he came back, nor would he move a foot inside the gate if every one of the dogs that he knew from the time