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Carleton, William, 1794-1869

"Phelim Otoole's Courtship and Other Stories Traits And Stories Of The Irish Peasantry, The Works of William Carleton, Volume Three"

"
"But what am I to do about the cows? Sure, I can't go back widout either
thim or the rint?" said Frank, with a look of fear and trembling at
Jemmy.
"The cows!" said another of the widow's sons who then came in; "why, you
dirty spalpeen of a rip, you may whistle on the wrong side o' your mouth
for them. I druv them off of the estate; an' now take them, if you dar!
It's conthrairy to law," said the urchin; "an' if you'd touch them, I'd
make my mudher sarve you wid a _lattitat_ or _fiery-flashes_."
This was a triumph to the youngsters, who, began to shake their little
fists at him, and to exclaim in a chorus--"Ha, you dirty rip! wait till
we get you out o' the house, an' if we don't put you from ever drivin'!
Why, but you work like another!--ha, you'll get it!"--and every little
fist was shook in vengeance at him.
"Whist wid ye," said Jemmy to the little ones; "let him alone, he got
enough. There's the cows for you; an keen may the curse o' the widow
an' orphans light upon you, and upon them that sent you, from first to
last!--an' that's the best we wish you!"
"Frank," said Owen to the bailiff, "is there any one in the town below
that will take the rint, an' give a resate for it? Do you think, man,
that the neighbors of an honest, industrious woman 'ud see the cattle
taken out of her byre for a thrifle? Hut tut! no, man alive--no sich
thing! There's not a man in the parish, wid manes to do it, would see
them taken away to be canted, at only about a fourth part of their
value.


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