The Sun.
London, England, 1840-03-11 00:00:00

PI..I.CTICAL JOKES AND PANCAKES.

In this case, which excited much attention, from the
,ft-exhibite I oratorical powers:of the parties engaged, a
',lr. G'Neil figured as complainant—a well-known and
intere,aing veteran in petty sessions' warfare, who beg-
ged
leave to add to his genuine Irish patronymic the
• more Mi'eslan adjuncts of Mortoch O'Brien. Master
\lottoch ehibited a countenance, which, between a
c.lrtain rigidity of muscle in its composition, and en evi-
u.ant neglect of the duties of the toilet in its outward
appliancen--rendered the task not an easy one to trace
the emotiols of its owner. He was togged in what
had once ly,en an official top coat, with crimson collar
and tlonar..ized buttons, having at one time discharged
the important duties of crier and summons-server to the
Court ; bat. Mr. O'Neil, like higher personages, was
thrust cut of office ; so he retired to his original occu-
pation of pump-sinker, till called froth his avocation by
tjae 'troublesome antics of his neighbour Calligan.
Nangistfrote—" How did this man annoy you ?"
"'Twould take ale a week, your worship," replied
Uertocb, endeavouring to assume a look at once of
aandour and indignation,—" 'Twould take me a week
to express tho extint ov his ill doins —abusin' me wife ;
—callid out for a man to meself ;—kickin in me
1 doors ;.---poltin' me dog ;—throwin' tl:e loss o the place
tin ma fa^e, an', in fact, botherin' m- altogether !"

(A laugh.).
The Bench requested complainant to instance a
particular case, whereupon he folded his arms in the
atl'Aude Napoleon is represented standing by the fires
f lis bivcuac, and stated that Mr. Calligan had play-
fatly dropped down through his chimney on " Pancake-
night' the body of a dead dog, that had been battered
to death on suspicion of madness the day before.
Magistrate—" It fell in the fire, did it not
Mortoell, (with a sarcastic grin)—" No, ye'r honour,
but into a han'ful of pancakes we wor gettin' up for our-
sashes an' a nibor or two. 'Twas my turn to give 'cm
. a whegee, an' I was jest handlin' the pan, whin down
cornea the dog's corpse, slap amongst the ingredients,
spattherin"em like thoushe about our little place."—
(Laughter.)
burly-
Mr. Calligan, the accused, a bandy-legged,
iooking gentleman, who appeared quite at home, and
affected to regard the whose matter as a thing of no
paid the ex-crier back " in
:.mnortance, now rase, and
by recapitulating a series of misdemeanours,
which he offered to make oath were perpetrated at Ids
excnbe " be Misther O'Neil."

" Oh ! Paddy Calligan ! Paddy Calligan, ye're a nate 1
young man for a small tap party," sung Mortoch.
" An' indeed ye'r a mighty agreeable youth yerself,"
returned Paddy, " Arra, Murty, dear, d'ye remember
the day you hot me the Pather an Ave with the bool-
thawn of a flail—do you, Murty ? When I said to
you, Bad times, Misther O'Neil,' says 1, b*.ieve
there's not much doin' in the summons-way now:
Wait awhile,' says you, they're drickin' up sthreet,
an' who knows what might happen by an' by, with the
help o'the Lord ?"—(Great laughter.)
He of the Milesian name turned a deaf ear to these
reminiscences, and addressing the Bench, exclaimed,
" What about the pancakes, gentlemen ?"
Before their Worships could reply :—" I'll tell you
what, Murty," said Paddy Calligan, slapping his hands,
and rolling them together quite composedly, " I'll tell
you what it is—l thrun the dog be gor, I did !—dead
or alive, honour bright, as the soger said when he
handed the bread an' butther back to the child An'
see here, I'll give you a meal o' pancakes, an' a glass
o' whiskey, as you're no medal-man, an let us have
pace ;" so saying, he thrust out his paw, which was
shaken, after some reluctance, in the horny gripe of
Mortoch O'Brien O'Neil.