“Ay, an’ it’ll bring customers, that’s the main thing.  People always like to come to a snug, comfortable place.  An’, plase God, I’m thinkin’ of another plan that I’ll soon mintion.”

“An’ what may that be, you skamer?  Why, Ellish, you’ve ever and always some skam’e or other in that head o’ yours.  For my part, I don’t know how you get at them.”

“Well, no matter, acushla, do you only back me; just show me how I ought to go on wid them, for nobody can outdo you at such things, an’ I’ll engage we’ll thrive yit, always wid a blessin’ an us.”

“Why, to tell God’s thruth, I’d bate the devil himself at plannin’ out, an’ bringin’ a thing to a conclusion—­eh, you deludher?”

“The sarra doubt of it; but takin’ the other farm was the brightest thought I seen wid you yit.  Will you do it, avillish?”

“To be sure.  Don’t I say it?  An’ it’ll be up wid the lark wid me.  Hut, woman, you don’t see the half o’ what’s in me, yet.”

“I’ll buy you a hat and a pair o’ stockins at Christmas.”

“Will you, Ellish?  Then, by the book, I’ll work like a horse.”

“I didn’t intind to tell you, but I had it laid out for you.”

“Faith, you’re a beauty, Ellish.  What’ll we call this young chap that’s comin’, acushla?”

“Now, Pether, none o’ your capers.  It’s time enough when the thing happens to be thinkin’ o’ that, Glory be to God!”

“Well, you may talk as you plase, but I’ll call him Pether.”

“An’ how do you know but he’ll be a girl, you omadhawn?”

“Murdher alive, ay, sure enough!  Faith, I didn’t think o’ that!”

“Well, go up now an’ spake to Misther Eccles about the land; maybe somebody else ‘ud slip in afore us, an’ that wouldn’t be pleasant.  Here’s your brave big coat, put it an; faix, it makes a man of you—­gives you a bodagh* look entirely; but that’s little to what you’ll be yet, wid a blessin’—­a Half-Sir, any way.”

* This word is used in Ireland sometimes in a good and sometimes in a bad sense.  For instance, the peasantry will often say in allusion to some individual who may happen to be talked of, “Hut! he’s a dirty bodagh;” but again, you may hear them use it in a sense directly the reverse of this; for instance, “He’s a very dacent man, and looks the bodagh entirely.”  As to the “Half sir,” he stands about half-way between the bodagh and the gentleman, Bodagh—­signifying churl—­was applied originally as a term of reproach to the English settlers.

In fact, Ellish’s industry had already gained a character for both herself and her husband.  He got credit for the assiduity and activity to which she trained him:  and both were respected for their cleverness in advancing themselves from so poor a beginning to the humble state of independence they had then reached.  The farm which Ellish was so anxious to secure was the property of the gentleman from whom they held the other.  Being a man of