Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-01-17
THE wHrspEREa;


of Kilmallock, jus, outside OF it you see,
lard by the big old oak. dilapidated
forge. In that forge the strokes of the
sledge hammer have long since ceased
to vibrate on the ear; and he who once
welded it so stoutly, now sleeps quietly
under the east window of the old abby.
A pleasant fellow be was before be was
laid where be is, and cleaver fellow
withall.- But what made him most Ia
NOUS in bis day aud generation, was bis
power of breaking horses by awhisper,
whence be went by the name of "Fhe
Whisperer;' and his fame was spread
over the six counties Of song Astounding
Muster. Give BIN the fiercest horse
that ever broke a mans neck, and Te-
renee O'Sullivan--for that was the
Whisperer's name-bodily went up to
him. clapped his hand upon his name,
applied his mouth to bis ear, whispered
something, God knows what, into il,
and in two minutes afterwards the ami
NAL was as quiet as Quaker! Some
said it was effected by this method, and
some by that; but it was all mere CUES.
sing. and to this day nobody knows the
real truth, excepting his son, Dennis,
to whom the old man told the secret on
his death bed But there is an old say
ing, that the world always goes on from
bad to worse, and it is verified in this
case; for Dennis does not manage the
business half so well as bis father. They
say the reason is, that he does not go
up to the horse as boldly as the old
man IA dashing off hand fellow, who
feared neither man nos BEAST was
wont to do5 and it may be that there is
something in il, for mans horse in this
respect is like bis sweetheart, and is not
the worse for being approached with
some degree of spirit. However, il mat
ters not as to the precise way the Wits.
perez operated, the manner N which he
originally acquainted himself with the
art was this. Terence was one day at
his Forge, busily employed, as usual,
in fashioning horse shoe, thinking Of
nothing at all, but barely whistllng;
when there came by soldier, lame and
way worn, toiling along slowly on the
dusty road, in the heat OF a July day.
The blessing of God and the Virgin be
upon you, have little chance OF eth
err; thank you, nevertheless, for the
kindness of your prayer. But add to
the good wish a good deed--I am faint
with thirst; give me drink of WATER
! So Terence answered him from amid
the sparkes of the fire, as he still labor
ed at the iron; I drink no water except
when cannot help it, and I've no no.
ton of doing to another what | would
not wish to be done to myself. The best
Of buttermilk from this 10 Dublin shall
be at your service,' and, laying down
his sledge hammer, he went and brought
same to the poor soldier. The traveller
drank eagerly of the profferea bowl land
when he had finished, said You have
done to me kind service, and though
you see me here poor as the poorest,
yet know that which will make you
rich. Come behind the forge, and l
will let you into the secret Terence
O'Sulliyan wondered at the mans lam
| guage, but he followed him behind the
forge; and there the weary soldier told
him the secret. Terence was some
what sceptical, but promised TO make
trial; and when at length be did, to his
very great amazement, every thing
turned out as the soldier predicted. At
ter the soldier had told his secret, be
shook the hand of the smith, and walk
ing away westward, was never again seen
or heard of in Kilmailock. Terrence's
fame soon spread far and wide; and he
broke every horse for twenty miles
round. The only complaint was, that
be broke the horses so completely, that
they had no spirit after bis whisper.
Certain tits, that when they first heard
it they trembled from head to hoof, a
cold sweat stood all over their hodes;S
il was said, that they never we're good
for either the chase or the race after
wards. And it became a saying in the
country, when. as sometimes happened
to be the case, rafting and riotting
young bachelor became a quiet and
sober sort of man after his marriage,
that be had endured the infiiciion of TIE
renee O'Sullivan's whisper. When bis
fame was the greatest, it came to pass
that one of the finest young fellows in
the parish, or seven parishes beyond it,