I shall now seek a
contiguous place of repose, until the consequences of some slight
bacchanalin libations on my part shall have dispersed themselves into
thin air."
He accordingly departed, but from the unsteadiness of his step it was
clear that, as he said, the place of his repose must be contiguous
indeed. Had he been conscious of his own motions it is not likely he
would have sought for repose in Cavanagh's kiln, then the habitation of
the Hogans. It was probably the fact of the door having been left open,
which was generally the case in summer, that induced him to enter--for
enter he did--ignorant, it is to be presumed, that the dwelling he
was about to enter was then inhabited by the Hogans, whom he very much
disrelished.
The place was nearly waste, and had a very desolate look. Scattered
around, and littered upon shake-down beds of straw, some half dozen
young besmutted savages, male and female, lay stretched in all
positions, some north, others south, without order or decency, but all
seeming in that barbarous luxury which denotes strong animal health and
an utter disregard of cleanliness and bodily comfort. Over in one of the
corners lay three or four budgets, old iron skillets, hammers, lumps of
melted lead, broken pots, a quantity of cows' horns for spoons, wooden
dishes that required clasping, old kettles that wanted repair, a couple
of cast off Poteen Stills, and a new one half made--all of which were
visible by the light of a large log of bog-fir which lay burning in the
fire-place.
Pages:
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137