Indeed such a terrible day I've seldom seen, for many years."

"Faith, it's good to have a dry roof over our heads, and a warm fire
before us, at any rate. There's many a poor half-drowned devil in the
fair, would give a trifle to change places with us; there is, upon my
credit."

In a few minutes the refreshments came in, much to the satisfaction
of the parties, who felt a strong sense of comfort, on contrasting the
warmth of their snug little room with the uproar of the storm that raged
without, and spent its fury upon the cold, bleak, and almost deserted
streets.

"I am glad, indeed, Mr. M'Loughlin," continued his companion, "that
I happened to meet with you to-day--you and I are now neighbors, and
surely we ought to live like neighbors."

"Well," replied M'Loughlin dryly, "and don't we do so? You haven't found
me troublesome as a neighbor, have you? Eh, Val, my man?"

"No," said the other, "certainly I have--upon my credit I haven't, an'
that's what I complain of; neither you nor your family associate with me
or mine."

"Tut, Val, man," replied M'Loughlin, still in the same dry, ironical
tone as before, "surely it's not long since you came to march us. It's
only two years and a half since you wormed out the O'Hagans, then the
farm lay near two years idle--ay--why, man, you're not four months our
neighbor yet."