Page:Three advices an Irish tale.pdf/6

 of their day’s journey, when they were all tired with walking, that they came to a wood, through which there was a path that shortened the distance to the town they were going towards, by two miles. The pedlars advised John to go with them through the wood; but he refused to leave the highway, telling them, at the same time, he would meet them again at a certain house in the town, where travellers put up. John was willing to try the worth of the advice which his master had given him, and he arrived in safety, and took up his quarters at the appointed place. While he was eating his supper, an old man came hobbling into the kitchen, and gave orders about different matters there, and went out again. John would have taken no particular notiec of this; but, immediately after, a young woman, young enough to be the old man’s daughter, came in, and gave orders exactly the contrary of what the old man had given; calling him, at the same time, a great many hard names, such as old fool, and old dotard, and so on.

When she was gone, John inquired who the old man was, “He is the landlord,” said the servant; “and, Heaven help him! a dog’s life he has led since he married his last wife.”

“What!” said John, with surprise, “is that young woman the landlord’s wife! I see I must not remain in this house to-night;” and, tired as he was, he got up to leave it, but went no farther than the door before he met the two pedlars, all cut and bleeding,