Page 149 - The snake's pass

VANISHED. 137
" The moral, Andy, that I see is, When you see the
right woman go for her for all you're worth, and thank
God for giving you the chance." Andy jumped up and
gave me a great slap on the back.
" Hurro ! more power to yer elbow ! but it's a bhoy
afther me own h'arrt y' are. I big yer pardon, surr,
for the liberty ; but it's mighty glad I am."
"Granted, Andy; I like a man to be hearty, and you
"
certainly are. But why are you so glad about me ?
"Because I like yer 'an'r. Shure in all me life I
niver see so much iv a young gintleman as I've done
iv yer 'an'r. Surr, I'm an ould man compared wid
ye—I'm the beginnin' iv wan, at any rate, an' I'd
like to give ye a wurrd iv advice — git marrid while
ye can ! I tell ye this, surr, it's not whin the hair is
beginnin' to git thin on to the top iv yer head that a
nice young girrul 'ill love ye for yerself. It's the
people that goes all their lives makin' money and
lukin' after. all kinds iv things that's iv no kind iv
use to thim, that makes the mishtake. Suppose ye do
git marrid when ye're ould and bald, an' yer legs is
shaky, an' ye want to be let sit close to the fire in the
warrum corner, an' ye've lashins iv money that ye
don't know what to do wid ! Do you think that it's
thin that yer wives does be dhramin' iv ye all the time
and worshippin' the ground ye thrid? Not a bit iv it!
They do be wantin'—aye and thryin' too—to help God
"
away wid ye !
" Andy," said I, " you preach, on a practical text, a