THE ADVENTURES OF KING BRIAN CONNORS
in the year one might see them gather in a dozen knots before his door and into as many little crowds about the stable. In each crowd, from morning till night, there was a chune being played, a ballad sung, or a story being tould. Always one could find there blacksmiths, schoolmasters, and tinkers, and all trades, but the greater number be far, av coorse, were beggarmen.
Nor is that same to be wondhered at, bekase every jaynious, if he had his own way and could folly his own heart’s desire’d start to-morrow at daybreak with the beggarman’s staff and bag.
But wherever they came from, and whatever their station, Tom Mulligan stumped on his wooden leg from crowd to crowd, the jovial, happy master of them all.
[ 173 ]
