Page:Darby O'Gill and the Good People by Herminie Templeton Kavanagh (1903).djvu/94

Rh quick against the hearth that the two daybaters stopped short in their talk to look at him.

“Tell me,” he says—“lave off and tell me who was the greatest man that ever lived?” says he.

At that a surprising thing happened. Brian Connors and Father Cassidy, aich striving to speak first, answered in the same breath and gave the same name.

“Dan’le O’Connell,” says they.

There was at that the instant’s silence an’ stillness which follys a great explosion of gunpowdher.

Thin every subject of the King started to his feet.

“Three cheers for Dan’le O’Connell!” cried little Roderick Dhue. Every brown cap was swung in the air. “Hooray! Hooray! Hooroo!” rang the cheers.

His Riverence and the fairy-chief turned sharp about and stared at each other, delighted and wondhering.

Darby sthruck agin with the tongs. “Who was the greatest poet?” says he.

Agin the two spoke together. “Tom Moore,” says they. The King rubbed his hands and gave a glad side look at the priest. Darby marked the friendly light that was stealing into Father Cassidy’s brown Rh