* Anglice—­Big markets.  There are three of these held before Christmas, and one or two before Easter, to enable the country folks to make their markets, and prepare for the more comfortably celebrating those great convivial festivals.  They are almost as numerously attended as fairs; for which reason they are termed “big markets.”

“In this way he went on from year to year, changing from one master to another; every man that would employ him thinking he might get him to stop with him for a constancy.  But it was all useless; he’d be off after half a year, or sometimes a year at the most, for he was fond of roving; and that man would never give himself any trouble about him afterwards; though, may be if he had continted himself with him, and been sober and careful, he would be willing to assist and befriend him, when he might stand in need of assistance.

“It’s an ould proverb, that ‘birds of a feather flock together,’ and Larry was a good proof of this, There was in the same neighborhood a young woman name Sally Lowry, who was just the other end of himself (* meaning his counterpart) for a pair of good hands, a love of dress and of dances.  She was well-looking, too, and knew it; light and showy, but a tight and clane sarvint, any way.  Larry and she, in short, began to coort, and were pulling a coard together for as good as five or six years.  Sally, like Larry, always made a bargain, when hiring, to have the holly-days to herself; and on these occasions she and Larry would meet and sport their figure; going off with themselves, as soon as mass would, be over, into Ballymavourneen, where he would collect a pack of fellows about him, and she a set of her own friends; and there they’d sit down and drink for the length of a day, laving themselves without a penny of whatever little aiming the dress left behind it; for Larry was never right, except when he was giving a thrate to some one or other.

“After corrousing away till evening, they’d then set off to a dance; and when they’d stay there till it would be late, he should see her home, of coorse, never parting till they’d settle upon meeting another day.

“At last they got fairly tired of this, and resolved to take one another for better for worse.  Indeed they would have done this long ago, only that they could never get as much together as would pay the priest.  Howandever, Larry spoke to his brother, who was a sober, industrious boy, that had laid by his scollops for the windy-day,* and tould him that Sally Lowry and himself were going to yoke for life.  Tom was a well-hearted, friendly lad, and thinking that Sally, who bore a good name for being such a clane sarvint, would make a good wife, he lent Larry two guineas, which along with two more that Sally’s aunt, who had no childhre of her own, gave her, enabled them to over their difficulties and get married.  Shortly after this, his brother Tom followed his example; but as he had saved something, he made up to Val Slevin’s daughter, that had a fortune of twenty guineas, a cow and a heifer, with two good chaff beds and bedding.