Personal sketches of his own times, Vol. 3 (of 3)

I recollect a man at the assizes of Maryborough swearing to the leg of his own goose, which was stolen—having found it in some _giblet broth_ at the robber’s cabin. The witness...

The tithe proctor was generally waked out of his first sleep by his door being smashed in; and the _boys_ in white shirts desired him “never to fear,” as they only intended to _...

To attain this, my laudable object, the first thing I had to do was, as far as practicable, to fancy myself a general; and in that capacity, to ascertain the errors by which the...

“He named the day, to which I assented. It was _reported_, but I cannot vouch for the fact, that a party was sent to intercept and murder me. Shortly after I reached Sligo, my o...

We waited for no more to satisfy us either that she was mad, or that robbers were in the house: each person seized something by way of a weapon: one took a poker, another a cand...

Never was there such a buzz and hubbub in any neighbourhood as now took place in and about the town of Castle Durrow. Every body began to _compute periods_ and form conjectures;...

This took poor Sir John dreadfully aback. Glinsk was, he told me, actually in a tumbling state. Not a gravel walk within twenty miles of it: and as to timber, “How the devil,” s...

Now, those joyous scenes are shifted by sanctity and _civilisation_. Now, the female soul almost shudders—and it well may—on reaching the site of the connubial ceremony. The lon...

“Hollo! hollo! hollo! Captain, and brave boys,” cried Attorney Potterton: “I’ve got a lad sure enough; and though he has no arms about him, there can be no doubt but they lie hi...

My old and worthy friend, “Squire Martin,” afforded a most excellent illustration of this practice; and as all the parties were “gentlemen to the backbone,” the anecdote may be...

Again the indefatigable corporation wags, who could let nothing pass, began their jocularities: the worthy Baronet’s name being _King_, and the shield having a _crown_ in it, th...

“Oh!” resumed he, gaily, “she is, I assure you, only considering what death she shall inflict on herself if I do not marry her. Now, you know, I am as poor as a rat, though a _g...

“Now, Jonah,” said my brother, “before I marry I have a matter of some importance to arrange, lest it should come to the ears of my Alicia, which would be my ruin; and I must ge...

When the poor fellow’s pains had altogether subsided, and the swathing was off, he cut one of the most curious figures ever seen: he looked as if he had a stake driven through h...

This Stephen Fitzgerald,—who had killed the Cahills, sure enough, as became the true son and heir of the aforesaid Stephen, who was hanged,—lived, as report went, plentifully an...

The sketch which I thus introduce has certainly nothing whatever in it connected with myself. However, it is so far in point, that it proves how very differently gentlemen may f...

In pursuance of these benevolent intentions, the lieutenant, as a preliminary step, first knocked down the suspected rebel from County Kildare, which the weight of mettle in his...

Sir Hercules Langreish, a commissioner of revenue, and one of the most popular _courtiers_ of our society, had an abundance of slow, kind-hearted, though methodistically pronoun...

Mr. Fitzgerald’s agent and attorney—Capriciousness of courage—Jack tar, his intrepidity—New lights—Sailors and saints—Description of Mr. T—— —His temerity in court and timorousn...

This maid of natural history got great ascendancy; and, as she was what is termed in Ireland a swaddler, (in England a canter or psalm-singer,) she soon convinced my cousins tha...

The baronet brought over three or four thousand pounds in his fob, just (as he told me) to try, by way of comparison, how long that quantity of _the dross_ would last in Paris[9...

The practice of horse medicine is indeed so completely revolutionised, that gas, steam, and the chemistry of Sir Humphrey Davy, are resorted to for the morbid affections of that...

Sudden fright and horror, or even agitating news, have often the most extraordinary effect on the human frame, exciting a variety of disorders, and sometimes even death. I have...

At country fairs, the feasting and drinking were still more boisterous—what they call _obstropulous_ in Ireland; but being generally held in towns, there was less character exhi...

To experience the approbation of the public in general must ever be gratifying to the author of any literary work, however humble may be its subject: such has been my fortunate...

The Irish mower cutting his _own_ head off has also afforded a multiplicity of amusing comments, both from my friends and the periodicals; the former call it _ingenious_, the la...

Very shortly afterwards his eldest brother was executed at Wexford, his father died, while another brother, also deeply implicated, was not prosecuted, and figured many years af...