The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-01-30
From Bcntley's Misc, l'any.
HAMILTON ROWAN AND TEE
WAllka,

Hamilton Rowan, on his way TO
llollihead, stopped TO dine at the lit
tie inn at Chapel Curing, There
was nothing in the house but a
shoulder of mutton, which Rowan
ordered roasted. Presently the
master of a neighboring hunt, with
two brother Nimrods rushed in the
room, swearing they were half star
we'd, and DANGEROUSLY demanding
what they could have for dinner. -
The landlord with many apologies,
told them he had nothing but bread
and cheese to offer them.
"Nothing but bread and cheese I!
Nothing but bread and cheese y
they all exclaimed, stamping about
the room. ..... .... ..... ......
Il am extremely sorry, gentle
men, said the landlord, much en-
barrasscd, "but--"
"liow Dye mean, sir?" Interrupt
ted the master Of the hunt imperi-
ously. "By IL don't understand
this, Guilliam Nothing but bread
and cheese to offer us WHY, |
smell something roasting in your
kitchen at this very moment,
sir" ....
"Why, that's very true, gentle
mem, said the landlord, still more
embarrassed CT certainly is
shoulder Of mutton at the fire, and
| wish with all my heart | could let
you have it; but unfortunately il is
bcspokcn by an Irish gentleman in
the next room, and --"
GA 9ctGt? An Irish gentleman,
did you say, Civilian ?" roared out
the man, with sheer.
eyes, sir, and--n
Here the landlord was interrupted
by a perfect mouth quake of laugh
ter, in which the whole trio joined.
pray what is this Irish gentle
man like ~ demanded the Squire,
as soon as he could speak. s.Has
he been long caught? Oh, for hea-
iyen'S sake tell us-has he lost lis
tail yet, Gwilliam?" ...
"Ah, has he lost his tail vet, CIVIL
liam 20 echoed the two Others; and
again they laughed most outrageous
! y.
'!ndeed, gentlemen" began
the landlord.
"No more of . said the
Squire, cutting him short, "unlcss
you mean to make us sick, sir. Go
and send the mutton in to us, and
let this Irish gentleman have a
WEIGH RABBIT. And dye hear con-
tinued he, pulling out fine old re-
Ipeater, and putting it into the land
lords hands, ''take this and ask
ii he can tell the time of day by
1T. Go, sir do as order you, or it
shall be the worse for YOU" ...
The landlord, who burst not dis
obey, after many apologies, deliver
ed the watch, with this message to
Rowan, who had overheard all that
had passed. m
Perhaps the Squire could not have
selected a worse subject for his cra-
tultous insult than Hamilton Rowan,
who, Selling one of his travelling
pistols which lay in the window,
Immediately joined the trio, who
were laughing heartily at the Joke.
"Gentlcmen," said Rowan with
great suavity, 81 am sorry to inter-
rupt your mirth. delight in Joke
myself, especially when it is good
one. But the fact is, our landlord
here, who must be either drunk or
dreaming, or both, has Just brought
me this watch, with an impertinent
message; which he allirms he was
ordered TO deliver to me by some
gentleman in this room crc.-Now,
though | cannot for an instant sup
pose any person present." continued
Rowan, fixing his eyes on the Squire,
"s"lIty of so blackSuard an act, |
must request, as a mere matter of
form, to know whether any gentle
man here did send me this watch
with any such message. I'll thank
you for an immediate answer, gen.
tlemcn,' added Rowan, examining
the printing of the pistol, "for there's
delicious little shoulder of Wclch
mutton just roasted, and Pm any
iouS to pay my respects to it."
Pcrceiying them all dumlounded,
Rowan demanded of each in success
sion whether he was the owner of
the watch.
They all replied in the negative.
"Most extraordinary :" said Row
a n; then calling the landlord, he
asked him if tile watch belonged to
! him. ..... .0sssl
$40 me, sir''' rcplio9,tae; ,lan in
great establishment, ~ .