“From the moment Denis attached himself to the Murphys, until the day he received the beating which subsequently occasioned his death, he never withdrew from them.  He was in all their battles; and in course of time, induced his relations to follow his example; so that, by general consent, they were nicknamed ‘the Errigle Slashers.’  Soon after you left the country, and went to reside with my uncle, Denis married a daughter of little Dick Magrath’s, from the Race-road, with whom he got a little money.  She proved a kind, affectionate wife; and, to do him justice, I believe he was an excellent husband.  Shortly after his marriage his father died, and Denis succeeded him in his farm; for you know that, among the peasantry, the youngest generally gets the landed property—­the elder children being obliged to provide for themselves according to their ability, as otherwise a population would multiply upon a portion of land inadequate to its support.

“It was supposed that Kelly’s marriage would have been the means of producing a change in him for the better, but it did not.  He was, in fact, the slave of a low, vain ambition, which constantly occasioned him to have some quarrel or other on his hands; and, as he possessed great physical courage and strength, he became the champion of the parish.  It was in vain that his wife used every argument to induce him to relinquish such practices; the only reply he was in the habit of making, was a good-humored slap on the back and a laugh, saying,

“’That’s it, Honor; sure and isn’t that the Magraths, all over, that would let the manest spalpeen that ever chewed cheese thramp upon them, without raising a hand in their own defence; and I don’t blame you for being a coward, seeing that you have their blood in your veins—­not but that there ought to be something betther in you, afther all; for it’s the M’Karrons, by your mother’s side, that had the good dhrop of their own in them, anyhow—­but you’re a Magrath out and out.’

“‘And, Denis,’ Honor would reply, ’it would be a blessed day for the parish, if all in it were as peaceable as the same Magraths.  There would be no sore heads, nor broken bones, nor fighting, nor slashing of one another in fairs and markets, when people ought to be minding their business.  You’re ever and always at the Magraths, bekase they don’t join you agin the Caseys or the Orangemen, and more fools they’d be to make or meddle between you, having no spite agin either of them; and it would be wiser for you to be sed by the Magraths, and red your hands out of sich ways altogether.  What did ever the Murphys do to sarve you or any of your family, that you’d go to make a great man of yourself fighting for them?  Or what did the poor Caseys do to make you go agin the honest people?  Arrah, bad manners to me, if you know what you’re about, or if sonse (* Good Luck) or grace can ever come of it; and mind my words, Denis, if God hasn’t said it, you’ll live to rue your folly for the same work.’