Hark!

Tolv two ^|2eleven elf^2| kater ten sax.

Hork!

Pedwar pemp. Foify tray. Twelve!

Methought ^|2'twas as I going asleep somewhen ^|ain nonland of wheres please^a| I heard as 'twere^2| the peal of midnight's chimes from out the belfry of the cute old speckled church sounding so faint a 12 as nighthood rendered all ^|2animated^2| British objects nonviewable to human watchers save perchance anon some glistery gleam darkling adown surface of the a fluvial flowandflow as again might be garments of laundry reposing a greensward close by in full expectation. And ^|2as I was going along in a dream as dozing I was dawdling^2| methought broadmouth was heard and all vociferated, echoating: Shaun! Shaun! Post the post! ^|2With a high voice & low, O, the higher his voice the deeper & low. I heard it so^2| And lo, methought somewhat came of the noise & somewho seemed amove among allmurk, now 'twas as clump, now mayhap. When lo was light and now 'twas as flasher now more as the glow. Ah! ^|2in unlitness^2| 'Twas, in verity 'twas his belted lamp. Yes, he who swayed a will of a wisp before me, dressed like an earl, ^|2in just the correct wear,^2| with a classy ^|2coat o'coat^2| of superior ruggedness ^|2freeswinging^2| from one shoulder ^|2& thickwelted brogues on him ^|amade to suit the Irish people and climate^a| & his coat ^|aof woollies with green & yellow effects out of it^a| with & a softrolling lapel ^|aon to^a| & the most successfully carried trousers you ever saw ^|abreaking over the ankle & hugging the shoeheel^a| & his ^|ainvulnerable^a| burlap waistcoat ^|aand inside ^|bof^b| it he was showing off his bluespangled zephyr ^|bshirt overshirt^b| that had a decidedly surplice short^a| — everything the best^2|, was none other from (^|2Ah, then,^2| the blessings of God & Mary &
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Patrick be ^|2rambling^2| all over him!) other than (his may his 100,000 welcome letters multiply & plultiply!) Shaun himself.

Had I the concordant wiseheads of Messrs Gregory & Lyons along with Dr Tarpey's & the Rev. Mr MacDougall's but I, poor ass, am but as their fourpart ass. Yet methought Shaun (holy messenger angels be uninterruptedly nudging him among & along the winding ways of random ever!) Shaun in proper person (may all the ^|2sliding backsliding^2| constellations continue to be his changeable timetable!) was before me ^|2in more than his usual health^2| for he sproke and ^|2I tell you ^|amy word^a| he looked the stuff. Now, without deceit it is hardly too much to say^2| he was looking grand, ^|2so fired smart^2| he was immense, ^|2quite^2| swell ^|2and so jaunty with a schoolgirl complexion on him plainly out on the mash^2| for he ^|2sproke was ^|ajust after his after having a great time in a porterhouse where he ^|bhad taken had recruited his health by his^b|a| three principal meals, his breakfast of a half a pound of bacon & eggs, then his dinner of a half a pound of round steak with some chops thrown in ^|aby the proprietoress^a| and gravy with potatoes and a raw tomato and then finally his supper, videlicet, bacon ^|awith some cold breast of veal^a|. ^|aI don't mean to say he was greedy but he liked ^|bhis feed^b| a lot. So^a| Then he sproke^2| When lo meheard I saw the voice of Shaun how so it sighed to scented nightlife as softly as the loftly marconimasts from Clifden sigh open tireless secrets to Nova Scotia's listing sisterpoles

— Alas alone alanna aroon! Shaun ^|2said yawned^2|, ^|2addressing himself &^2| complaining of the fact ^|2of earning his bread in sweat of feet^{2| |2}as, having moistened his mouth ^|ain^a| quiet^|a, scooped his teeth clean with his forefinger,^{a|2| |2}while as^2| he ^|2stared sank down at once^2| upon the native soil he loved ^|2best, covered with virgin bush. Well, I'm shot seeing myself like this!^{2| |2}how How^2| all too unworthy am I, a mere mailman of peace, for such eminence
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or promenade, to be exact, as to be the bearer of these ^|2letter missive^2| on His Majesty's service! ^|2I cannot recollect having done anything to earn it at all^2|

— But have ^|2I we ^|auntil now^{a|2| |2}asked besought^2| you, dear Shaun, ^|2I we^2| remembered, who it was^|2, to begin with,^2| who gave you the permit?

— Everybody, Shaun replied. ^|2It is my heaviest cross &^2| I have it from Saint Columkille's prophecies

— Then, ^|2I we^2| explained, you might be so by order.

— Forgive me, Shaun replied ^|2with his liquid lips^2|, it was ^|2made known condemned for me^2| in the prophecies and there is a power over me that is put upon me from on high & ^|2so^{2| |2}I ^|aI haven as it is^a| I have nothing to look forward at and^2| am hopeless to do anything about it.

— ^|2Dear Honest^2| Shaun, ^|2I we^2| agreed, ^|2what then were it a whisper reaches us that it may turn out to be you^2| you who will maybe bear those ^|2open^2| letter?

— As, Shaun replied ^|2patly^2|, to that I have the power. ^|2And that has a lot to do with everything^2|

— Would you mind telling ^|2me us^2|, ^|2dear Shaun Shaun honey^2|, ^|2I we^2| proposed ^|2to that dear youth^2|, where mostly are you able to work?

— I, Shaun replied, am mostly am able to walk. ^|2I am always telling them how^2| It was foretold for me ^|2never to to be disbarred from ^|awork unnecessary servile work of all sorts^a|2| work for otherwise I wd get into a blame ^|2but. His Holy Will be done. But^2|, believe me, I can truthfully ^|2say declare with my hand on the epistles^{2| |2}I am awful good & always^{2| |2}I do my reasonable best to^2| say my prayers regularly
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in fact always have.

— Yet 1 minute's observation, dear ^|2domestic^2| Shaun, as ^|2I we^2| observe you have painted the town green.

— ^|2O, murder, Shaun replied.^2| Well ^|2I so be it & I will^2| confess to have, ^|2yes, ^|aso long as I'm prepaid^a|2|. ^|2Shaun replied.^{2| |2}And it wasn't my first time. Somebody may perhaps say I am wrong. But^2| It is grandiose from the prophecies ^|2and they were ^|aspecially particularly^a| written by a gentleman for gentlemen. It was^{2| |2}With with^2| my post lamp.

— Do you mean, ^|2I we^2| gathered, whether varnish will or verdure?

— It is a confounded lie to say it, bad luck to you, Shaun^|2, the ^|afiery firy^a| boy,^2| replied, ^|2naturally very incensed, ^|aAnother time^a| Please confine your ^|aallusions glaring insinuations^a| to some other body^2| What ^|2on the face of this earth^2| wd I be doing besides your varnish? ^|2That is more than I can say anyway. So let you & I drop that.^2| Understand me when I tell you that in the past parcel office, so much deplored by my ^|2previous erstwhile^{2| |2}cousin^2| friend, Miss Sanders, postmistress in general to the Irish Goat Society, albeit blessed with 22,000 sorters out of a po biggest possible 22,000, too much administrative stationery was eaten by those goats. It is also one of my avowed intentions at some time ^|2when I am not prepared to say^2| to compose ^|2quite^2| a ^|2patent^2| savings book surrounding that matter.

— But what, dear Shaun, ^|2I we^2| continued, wd be the biography of your shor softbodied uniform?

— None whatsoever, Shaun replied,
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though it wd be very romantic. All of it ^|2I might say^2| was handed over by myself amongst my neighbours of every description, entitled the evicted tenants. ^|2What I say is and I am no fool, permit me to tell you.^2| Therefore I am plainly enveloped, which you will shortly ^|2see receive^2|, in care of one of ^|2Moosyears^2| Guinness's registered barrels.º