I orders a dhrink
av whuskey.
"'Whist, Pat,' says he, 'ye don't want whuskey; 'twill make ye
dhrunk. Why don't ye take somethin' green, like th' Irish?'
"'Green," says I. ''Tis a foine colour. I dinna fear anything thot
comes fra' a bottle. Pass'er oot!'
"An' thot he did. 'Twas 'creme de menthay' on th' bottle. 'An','
says he, ''Twon't make ye dhrunk.' But he was a liar, beggin' yer
pardin.
"For by an' by Oi see his head a growin' larger an' larger, until
Oi couldn't see annything but a few loights on th' cailing, an' a
few people on th' edges, loike. An' afther thot Oi wint oot, an'
walked till Oi come to a hill. An' there was a moon, an' a ould
hoose standin' still, which th' moon was not. So Oi stood still to
watch it, but bein' tired an' weary an' not havin' got rid o' me
sea-legs, Oi sat me doon on th' steps av th' hoose for a bit av a
rest, an' t' watch th' moon, thinkin' mebbe she'd stand still by
an' by.
"Well, sor, Oi hadn't been there more'n three 'r four minits, whin
th' door opened, an' oot steps a little ould lady, aboot th'
littlest an' ouldest Oi iver see in 'Frisco.
"'Good avenin', Mother Machree,' says Oi, touchin' me hat.
"'Mother Machree!' says she, an' gives me a sharp look. Also she
sniffs. 'Ye poor man,' says she. 'Ye'll catch yer death o' cold,
out here. Ye better coom in an' lie on me sofy.'
"Now, sor, how was Oi to ken, bein' a sailor an' ingorant? She was
only a ould lady, an' withered.
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