"Nigh hand indeed, but not all out. It would be spylte only for the dog, but the dog is a frind, and so it will be only a frindly disappointment, or maybe a fallin' out with an acquaintance."
"O, what matther," said Darby, "so the dhrame is to the good still!!"
"The dhrame _is_ to the good still; but tell me if you dhremt o' three sprigs o' _spare_mint at the ind iv it?"
"Why, then, now I could not say for sartin, bekase I was nigh wakin' at the time, and the dhrame was not so clear to me."
"Why, I have it an my mind that there _was_ sparemint in it, bekase I thought there was a garden in part iv it, and the sparemint was _likely_ to be there."
"Sure enough, and so you did dhrame o' the three sprigs o' sparemint?"
"Indeed, I could a'most make my book-oath that I dhremt iv it. I'm partly sartin, if not all out."
"Well, that's raysonable. It's a good dhrame, Darby."
"'Deed an' it is, Darby. Now wait till the next quarther o' the new moon, and dhrame again _then_, and you'll see what'll come of it."
"By dad an' I will, granny. O but it's you _has_ taken the maynin' out of it beyant everything; and faix if I find the crock, it's yourself won't be the worse iv it; but I must be goin', granny, for the squire bid me to hurry, or else I would stay longer wid you. Good mornin' to you--good mornin', Oonah! I'll see you to-morrow some time, granny." And off went Darby, leisurely enough.
The foregoing dialogue shows the ready credulity of poor Darby; but it was not in his belief of the "vartue of dhrames" that his weakness only lay. He likewise had a most extensive creed as regarded fairies of all sorts and sizes, and was always on the lookout for a Leprechaun. Now a Leprechaun is a fairy of peculiar tastes, properties, and powers, which it is necessary to acquaint the reader with. His taste as to occupation is very humble, for he employs himself in making shoes, and he loves retirement, being fond of shady nooks where he can sit alone and pursue his avocation undisturbed. He is quite a hermit in this respect, for there is no instance on record of two Leprechauns being seen together. But he is quite a beau in his dress, notwithstanding, for he wears a red square-cut coat, richly laced with gold, waistcoat and inexpressibles of the same, cocked hat, shoes, and buckles. He has the property of deceiving, in so great a degree, those who chance to discover him, that none have ever yet been known whom he has not overreached in the "keen encounter of the wits," which his meeting with mortals always produces. This is occasioned by his possessing the power of bestowing unbounded wealth on whoever can keep him within sight until he is weary of the _surveillance_, and gives the ransom demanded, and to this end, the object of the mortal who is so fortunate as to surprise one is to seize him and never withdraw his eye from him, until the threat of destruction forces the Leprechaun to produce the treasure; but the sprite is too many for us clumsy-witted earthlings, and is sure, by some device, to make us avert our eyes, when he vanishes at once.