Seventy Years of Irish Life Being Anecdotes and Reminiscences By W. R. Le Fanu.1893. From the Book. About 70 years ago the grand jury of the county of Tipperary passed the following resolutions:- "1st. That a new court house shall be built. "2nd. That the materials of the old court house be used in building the new court house. "3rd. That the old court house shall not be taken down till the new court house is finished." --------------------------------------------------- Mrs. Martin of Ross told me that some short time ago, as she was going out for a walk, a poor woman was at the hall door, with whom she had the following conversation:- Poor Woman. "Ah then, ma'am, God bless you! and won't you give your poor widdy something?" Mrs. Atartin. "But you are not a widow." Poor Woman. "Begorra, I am, ma'am, and a very poor widdy, with three small childer." Airs. Martin. "But, my good woman, I know your husband perfectly well." Poor Woman. "Of course you do, ma'am; but sure that poor little unsignificant craythur is not worth mentioning." ---------------------------------------------------------- Farmers had a great objection to their younger daughters being married before the -elder ones. A tenant of my brother-in-law, Sir William Barrington, came to tell him that his daughter Margaret had been married the day before to Pat Ryan. "How is that" said he. "He told me it was your daughter Mary he was going to marry?" "So it was, your honour," said the farmer. "'Twas was her he was courting, but I made him take Margaret. Wasn't she my ouldest daughter? and I wouldn't let him be runnin' through the family that way, taking his pick and choice of them." Mary was young and pretty, Margaret passée and plain. It was probably in such a case that a man, boasting of the kindness of his father-in-law, said, "Sure he gave me his ouldest daughter, and if he had an oulder one he'd have given her to me." ------------------------------------------------------ Mary