The North-Carolina standard., 1843-04-26

.tAh then Mrs. Brien tits yourself that knowsL
how to make Punch tothe ife-hot, strong and
sweet, Just the sort for the ladies God bless
them. May be you'd be good enough to just
touch the tumbler to your own two lips and give
it the finishing stroke" 81 have done so already
Larry, but l will to accommodate you, taste 1t
again. when she did so, and returned it with the
request that he would pronounce his opinion on
it. pronounce my opinion on it!' said Larry
with astonishment safter its going within whls-
per ofyour own sweet breath, with all these bright
eyes of the young Colleens around us shooting
their glances into it, and the stuff thatit is made or
the rale Ennishowen itself! Pronounce my opinion
on it! might as well undertake to pass sentence
on the warm milk from Kerry Cow, or find mud
in Kilkenny's pure strame. But whilstl have the
glass in my hand, / would like to say a few words
in the shape ofa speech on this same Ennishowen,
if it wouldn't be too much trouble for yourself
and the other ladies to listen to me-
s'The speech Larry cried dozen voices
tive must have the speech-hush! hush y and
one end the spacious room was forthwith made
still for Larry and his audience. whilst the re-
mainder was occupied by the dancers, who were
footng it, in elegant style to the stirring tune
of "The Wind that shakes the Barley" But
Larry's voice was soon high and strong enough,
in the earnestness of his cause, to drown the mu-
sick of the Bagpipe and Fiddle, and gradually
succeeded in drawing the attention of the whole
company to himself. 1t was proposed by some
arch lads to place the orator upon table and
have ring made, with the girls in the centre, so
that all might conveniently well as hear
him. Accordingly the persevering Larry was
mounted over their heads with one consent
when, with more order and satisfaction than be-
fore, he gave honest vent to his sentiments.
Boys said Larry, assuming all the air and
dignity of which, considering his inexperience In
public speaking, he was capable, 81 am not bould
enough to condemn the rale ould potteen, or the
Ennishowen, or any of the na+ive home-born
whiskey of this Blessed Islam, and the sky
over it; for we all know that Saint Patrick
himself kept Distillery of his own in the town
of InniskilIen, and may be you'll be telling NE
that he didn't know how to brew the rale thing,
and may be we ough'nt to follow his example;
but the rale thing is not nowadays, to be found;
the recai is lost for purshuing to me if the Saint
didn't take it with him, and who had better
right to it. We have as little, repate, of the
ancient, genuine Ennishowen-a liquor that i'll
ouden times, in the days of Brien Borhoime,
King of all Ireland, and the Apostles, sane
titled above all others-amongst us, as we have
of patience and harmony or the other cardinal vir
y
tamination say of the dirty wash, wash, nothing
else, which they give us at this present writing.
We have been imposed on too long. Mrs.
Brien you are an innocent woman, but victim,
you believe that your Punch is pure and with
out adulteration; but you are desaived as thou
sand of other dacent ladies have been before you.
Ever since poor Ould Ireland was knocked in
the head by that thieving king that came over
here from England when all our postcrity, God
be with them, were little gossoons not bigger
than this receptacle for poison which hould in
my hand, the numbering Sassanachs have been
destroying by inches every good thing we have
in the land; and to kill us entirely, they have
mixed our drink; yes mixed our drink-a hath
enish practice and every mothers sowl of this
respectable assembly knows the same. Does
one you ever remember being drunk and break
ing one anotLcr's heads in the day of our Patron
Saint! Who amongst you can call to his recol-
lection that he ever bate his loving wife after
drinking even Is tumblers of whiskey Punch
when King Oneill was alive? Do hear voice
say do No. bad luck to the one Asy Mickey
Gafney! hould off the tail of my coat! it's ragged
enough already the Lord knows. l want none
Of your nudging either; can see where l am
and forninst whom I'm speaking much better,
perhaps, than some of you who have been Dip
ping in the Punch jug to light. It's nothing new
for me to stand on a table and address the COM
pany neither. But let stick to the sub ject and
I'll be obliged to you. Pay attention all round
now. HASN'T ancient Historian said in black
and white that Irish whiskey was ':nate, drink,
washing and lodging" when the distillery in
Enniskillen was in full blast! Arrah, darlin it
was for man that was hungry and thirsty and
tired after hard days work! There was nate
cut-and-come-again peice of furniture for you.
Well, now, appale to any body in his right
sinses here before me, not forgetting those
of the company who are making themselves
so busy with the calves of my legs behind
me, and also appale to every lady present,
who has ever stirred tumbler of Punch with
her little finger, to say whether we resarve
the same usage from it nowadays. Is it mate
to us? No for the longer the bottle has hid
ing place in poor mans house the sooner
every COW and pig and cock and hen leaves his
premises. (Applause amongstthe women -''troth
you never said truer word in your life Larry
-''the devil lie in that same Larry boy.') Is
it drink to us! No! one noggih of butter-milk,
or handful of spring water, is worth the whole
Of Cork full of for all the good it does. Is it