Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-08-24

there certainly, in such as we have recorded
is ample provision for whole Decameron.
Tie Bounce of The Head
ain the year 1900, a labourer, dwelling near
the town Of Athy, county Kildare, Cwhere some
ofmy family still resided) was walking with
his comra6e up the banks Of the Barrow TO the
farm Of Mr. Richardson, on whose meadows
they were employed TO NOV; each in the usual
Irish way, having his scy,se loosely wagging
over his shouders-and, lazily lounging close
to the bank OF the river, they espied salmon
partly hid under the bank. 1t is the nature of
this fish thar, whenever his heaGis concealed, he
fancies no one can see his tai, There are many
wise-acres, besides the salmon, Of the same
way of thinking.) On the present occasion the
body OF the FISH was visible
$50 Ne6-Ned deal;' said one Of the NOW
ers, look at tina, big fellow there: isu', i, pity
we liant no spearp
"'May be- said Ned, 'we could be after pi-
king the lad with the scythe handle
S"'True for you'll said Dennis: she spike of
yesr handle is no longer nor mine; give the fe!-
low dig With IL at any rate
say, will l. returned the other: 'I'll give
the lad prod he'll never forge, any how
"ihe pike and their sport was all they
thought Of: but the blade Of the scythe which
hung over Ned's shoulders, never CAME into
the contemplation of either Of them Ned c9u-
uousy looked over The bank; the unconscious
salmon lay snug, little imagining the conspira.
cy that bad been formed against his tall
"'Now hit the lad SMART said Dennis there |
now-thcre! rise your fist now you have The
boy! now Ned-successp
"Ned struck at the salmon with all his
might and main, and that was not trihng.-
But whether 'ihe hoy was piked or no, never
appeared; for poor Ned, bending his neck as
Be struck al the salmon, placed the vertebra in
The most convenient position Tor .unfurnishiug
his shoulders: and his head came tumbinp
splash into The Barrow, TO the utter astonish-
ment of his comrade, who could anceilA
ko,0 ii could drop Oft so suddenly. But the next
minute he had the consolation OF seeing the ,
head attended by one of has oma ears, which had i
been must dexterously sliced off by the same $
blow which beheaded his comrade.
"The head and ear rolleG down the river an
company, and were picked up with extreme Ii
horror al the mill cam, near MIR. Richardson's, !
by one Of the miller's men. r
"'Who the devil does this head belong to?' ,,
exclaimed the miller. {
"'Whoeyer owned H., said the man, 'had G
three ears at any rate
"A search being now made, Ned's headless +
body was discovered lying half over the bank, 4
and Dennis in swoon through fright and loss E
of blood, was found recumbent by its side q
Dennis, when brosght TO himself, (Which pro- 81
cess was effected by whiskey) recied the whole o
adventure. They tied up the head; the body h
was attended by numerous assemblage Of h
10 the grave; and the habit, of car .
rying scythes carelessly very much dec lined" "
Vol. i. PIP. l2+-l27. v
We shall now go TO anecdotes Of h
Irishmen, and the first we meet with is cha .,
l. r r
the same sporting gentleman whose exploits .,
We have witsessed in the hunting lodge. o
An unfortunate duel took place between ano- e
eher brother of Sir Jonah and Lieutenant h
SFKenzie. In those days. in Ireland, meet 81
ing was the inevitable consequence Of the mos; r,
trfling subjects. In this duel, Mr.. Darlington a,
was shot dead, no, by his principal but by Cap $,
tain, afterwards the celebrated generalA(;ies- ~
pie, the second OF Mckenzie. Gillespie was ,s
Tried for the murder, and acquitted, in conse- n
quence Of the friendly interference Of the sheriff.
who packed the jury. The jury were chalIeng- n
I'd in detail by the friends of the barrister; but
the other party out-manoeuvred them. The HI
result, was as has been stated. b.
"On the evening Of the trial, nv second bro
Iher, Henry French Barrington-a gentleman II
of considerable estate, and whose perfect good So
temper, but intrepid and irresistible impetuos. W
~
quality having been severely felt in the county Sc
TO me. He was in fact, COM d.
plete country gentleman, utterly ignorant Of the
law, its terms and proceedings; and as / was W
he first Of my name who had ever followed any Sc
profession (the army excepted) my opinion, as &c
soon as became a counsellor, was considered m
oy him as oracular; indeed, questions far be- Sc
'ond mine, and sometimes beyond the power of c,
my person existing, to solve, were frequently N
for my decision BY our neighbors in i'd
he country. 4,
"Having called me aside out of the bar-room, d,
ny brother seemed greatly agitated, and in T
ormed me that friend Of ours, who had seen N
he jury list, declared 1t had been decidedly Sc
his appeal by asking me 81
What he ought TO do? Iaold him we should
AVE challenged the array THAT was my o,
opinion, Jonah, said he, 'and will do it now ST