noon
It 's me hand that 's yet onaisy wid brick-makin ' and sthrange to the shtones . An ye 'll wait till to-morror ? '' Unfortunately I did not wait . An engagement took me away at an early hour , and when I rode up to my cottage at noon my eyes were greeted with the astonishing spectacle of my two boys hard at work laying the courses of the stone wall , assisted by Bridget and Norah , who were dragging stones from the hillsides , while comfortably stretched on the top of the wall lay my friend , the Tramp , quietly overseeing the operation with lazy and humorous comment . For an instant I was foolishly indignant , but he soon brought me to my senses . `` Shure , sur , it 's only larnin ' the boys the habits uv industhry I was -- and may they niver know , be the same token , what it is to worruk fur the bread betune their lips . Shure it 's but makin ' 'em think it play I was .