Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-08-16

4
Ding dong
1t was strange music to dance by
nevertheless moving to it, round and
round the wheel set with skulls, were
well dressed ladies and gentlemen, and
soldiers and sailors, aud priests and
publicans, and jockeys and jenneys, but
all without their heads. Some poor skcl-
etons, whose bleached bones were ILL
covered by moth eaten pals, and who
were not admitted into the ring, amused
themselves by bowling their brainless
noodles at one another, which seemed
to enjoy the sport beyond measure.
Larry did not know what to think; his
brains were all in a mist, and losing the
balance which he had so long maintain
ed, no fell hcad-ioremast into the midst
of the company Of Dullahans.
sI'm done for and lost forever, roared
Larry, with his heels turned towards the
stars, and souse down he came.
Welcome, Larry Dodd, welcome
cried every head, bobbing up and down
in the air. a drink for Larry DOdd,'
shouted they, as with one voice that
quavercd like shake on the bagpipes.
! No sooner said than done, for player
at heads, catching his own as 1t was
bowIed at him, for fear Of its going as
tray, put the head, without word, under
his left arm, and, with the right stretched
out, presented brimming cup to Larry,
| who, TO show his manners, drank it off
like man.
otis capital stuff he would have
said, which surely il was, but he got no
further than cap, when decapitated was
he, and his head began dancing over his
shoulders like those Of the rest Of the
party. Larry, however, was not the first
man who had lost his head through the
temptation Of looking at the bottom
of brimming cup. Nothing more did
he remember clearly, for it seems body
and head being parted is not very favor
able to thought, but great hurry scurry
with the noise of carriages and the crack
ing Of whips.
| When his senses returned, his first act
was to put up his hand to whore his head
formerly grew, and to isgreat JOY there
he found it still. He then shook it gen.
tly, but his head remained firm enough;
and assured at this, he proceeded to open
his eyes and look around him. 1t was
broad daylight, and in the old church Of
KllnasIattery he found himself lying with
that head, the loss Of which he had an
ticipated, quietly resting, poor youth,
upon the lap Of earth. Could it have
been an ugly dream? ooh no. said
Larry, "a dream could never have
brought me here, stretched on the flat
of my back, with that deaths head and
cross marrow bones forenenting me on
the fine old tombstone there that was
faced by Pat Kearney* Of Kicrca-but
where is the horse:' He got up slowly,
every joint aching with pain from the
bruises he had received, and went to the
pool of water, but no horse was there.
'Tis home must 90 said Larry, with
a rueful countenancc; but how will !
face Nancy?-what will tell her about
the horse and the seven |. o U IS that
he cost me! 'Tis them DaIlahans that
have made their own of him from me-
the horse stealing robbers of the world,
that have no fear for the gallows! but
what's gone is gone, that's clear casen
SO saying, he turned his face home
wards, ard arrived at his cabin about
noon, without enCountcring any further
adventures. There he found Nancy,
who, as he expected, looked as black as
a thunder-cloud at him for being out all
night She listened to the marvellous
relation which he gave with eXcIamations
of astonishment, and when he had con-
cluded, of grief, at the loss Of the horse
that he had paid for like an honest man,
in |. o. US, three of which she knew
to be as good as gold.
I But what took you up to the old
that time Of night, Larry" inquired his
wife.
Larry looked like a criminal for whom
there was no reprieve; he scratched his
: head for an excuse, but no one could he
muster up, so he knew not what to say.
'Oh! Larry, Larry muttered Nancy,
after waiting some time for an answer,
her jealous fears during the pause, rising
like BARN; tits the very same with you
as with any other man, you are all alike
for that matter-I've no pity for you
but, confess the TRUTH
Larry shuddered at the tempest which
he perceived was about to break upon
his devoted head. Nancy said he, l
do coniess-it was young woman with.
out any head that
His wife heard no more. A woman
I knew il was,' cried she; but a woman
without head Larry! well it is long be-
fore Nancy Gallagher ever thought it
would come to that with her that she