On going to the bar to ask the price, he was told three-halfpence.

"For how much ?" quoth Paddy.

The bottle was handed to him, and he was told to take as much as he liked.

Paddy's joy knew no bounds at this liberality, and, unable to contain his ecstasy, he rushed to the door to communicate the good news to his companions, which he did in the following racy sentence: "Mike! Mike, my sowl! com' an' haf a dhrink--only thruppence for both of us, an' the botthel in yer own fisht!" One unfortunate fellow on board had lost a letter of recommendation, and was in great distress in consequence.

I hope he succeeded in replacing it better than a servant-girl is said to have done, under similar circumstances, who--as the old story goes--having applied to the captain of the vessel, received the following doubtful recommendation at the hand of that functionary: "This is to certify that Kate Flannagan had a good character when she embarked at New York, but she lost it on board the steamer coming up.