Hark!

Tolv two eleven ^|1cater kater^1| ten sax. Hark! Pedwar pemp. Foify three. Twelve!

Methought 'twas the peal of midnight's chime from out the belfry of the cute old speckled church sounding so faint a twelve as ^|1darkness nighthood^1| rendered all British objects nonviewable to human ^|1watcher watchers^1| save perchance anon some glistery gleam ^|1darkling^1| adown surface of the fluvial flowandflow or again it might some articles of laundry reposing the greensward close by in full expectation. And methought broadmouth was heard, and all vociferated, echoating: Shaun! Shaun! Post the post! And lo methought ^|1somewhat came of the noise^1| somewho seemed to amove among allmurk, now 'twas as a clump, now 'twas a flasher, anon more as the glow. mayhap. When lo there was light and now 'twas a flasher, now more as the glow. Ah, 'twas in verity 'twas his belted lamp. And he who swayed a will of a wisp before me, ^|1dressed like an earl, with a classy^1| coat ^|1of superior ruggedness^1| on ^|1one^1| shoulder, was none other than (the blessings of God and Mary and Patrick be all over him!) other than (may his hundred thousand welcome letters multiply & plultiply!) Shaun himself.
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Had I the concordant wiseheads of Messrs Gregory & Lyons along with Dr Tarpey's and the Reverend Mr MacDougall's but I, poor ass, am but as their fourpart ass. Yet methought Shaun (holy angels be uninterruptedly nudging him along the winding roads of random ever!) Shaun in proper person (may the sliding constellations b continue to be his considering compass!) was before me ^|1and he was looking grand, he was immense^1| for he ^|1spake sproke^1|. And lo meheard I saw the voice of Shaun how it sighed to the scented nightlife as softly as the loftly telegraph masts from Clifden sigh open secrets to Nova Scotia's listing sisterpoles.

— Alas! Shaun said, ^|1complaining of the fact &^1| staring upon the native soil he loved, how all too unworthy am I^|1, a mere mailman of peace,^1| for such eminence, or promenade, to be exact, as to be the bearer of this letter on His Majesty's service

— But have I asked you, dear Shaun, I remembered who it was who gave you the permit?

— ^|1I Everybody^1|, Shaun replied to me, ^|1I^1| have it from Saint Columkille's prophecies.

— Then, I explained, you might be so by order?

— Forgive me, Shaun replied, it was
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made known in the prophecies and there is a power over me that is put upon me from on high ^|1and I am hopeless to do anything about it^1|.

— Dear Shaun, I agreed, what then if it were you who will maybe bear this letter?

— As, Shaun replied, to that I have the power.

— ^|1Tell Would you mind telling^1| me, please, dear Shaun, I said, where are you mostly able to work?

— I, Shaun replied, am mostly able to walk. It was foretold for me never to work ^|1or otherwise I would get into a blame^1| but, believe me, ^|1I can truthfully say^1| I say my prayers regularly ^|1in fact always have^1|.

— Yet one minute's conversation, dear Shaun, for I observe you have painted the town green.

— Well, ^|1I confess^1| I have, Shaun replied to me, it is grandiose from the prophecies. With my post lamp.

— Do you mean, I gathered, whether verdure will or pure varnish?

— ^|1|aIt is a confounded lie to say it.^a| What would I be doing with your varnish? Understand me when I tell you^1| In, Shaun replied, the past postal office ^|1so much deplored by my former friend, Mrs Sanders, assistant secretary of the Irish Goat Society^1| albeit blessed with 22,000 sorters out of a ^|1biggest^1| possible 22,000 too much administrative stationery was eaten by ^|1those^1| goats. It is also one of my avowed intentions at some time to ^|1make compose^1| a book surrounding that matter.

— And whatº dear Shaun, I continued, would be the biography of your softbodied uniform?
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— None whatsoever, Shaun replied ^|1though it would be very romantic^1|. All of it was handed over by myself among my neighbours of every description, entitled the evicted tenants. Therefore I am plainly enveloped, as you ^|1will^1| shortly see, in one of Guinness's registered barrels.º