The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-04-28
prescription Of an rr..A Town.


As Redcross was corporate town, 1t IS
only respectful to give some account oil 1t
before we enter its jurisdiction. II was
small and poor place, but might have
been a respectable one, both in size and
wealth, had the inhabitants devoted hall as
much time to honest industry as they spent
in complaining about anything, or nothing.
Struggling their shoulders, whining about the
times, lounging about with their dirty hands
in their empty pockets, and wondering what
the Lord Lieutenant, and this Board, and
that Board, meant 10 do for them, or wheth-
er they meant to do anything a; all. The
Protestant population belonging to the Es
tablished Church consisted Of grocer,
publican, two tailors, three policemen. and
four revenue-oficers, and their respective
compliments of wives and children. The
Presbyterians numbered one shoemaker,
two blacksmiths, baker, carpenter, and
wheelwright. There was one Quaker
who met in his own house; and the rest OF
the burehers Of all trades and vocations, a
vast majority OF the entire population, were
Roman Catholics, principally M'Swynes,
with few M Gogarties, races Of old renowD
in the county, but generally at fsud with
ore another, for no assigned reason except
a tradition that, fourteen hundred years ago,
an O'Gogarty had pulled M'Swyne by
the nose; which most legitimate cause oil
quarrel had been honestly transmitted from
generation to generation, and was indeed al
present the only inheritance that remained
to either of those illustrious tribes. The
scenery of Redcross was remarkably fine in
its way: | mean, Of course, the dunghil
scenery. There was charming, pictur
esque mount, not so sweet as Hybla, front
| ing almost every house, the lofliest tower
ing before the piggeries Of the M'Swynes
who were as vain OF them as the Swiss ar,
Of their Alps. The streets Of Redcross 70
it possessed three or FOUR were never swep
except by the wind, or watered but witt
aqua celestis; they were consequently a
dusty in dry weather as African plains, ant
in wet weather perfectly Parisian--in poin
Of mud. The Protestanis, who were most
ly Hogs, threw all the dirt OF the plac
upon their fellow-townsmen. the M'Swynes
and even went TO say that dirt and Poper
always went together. Unfortunately, how
ever, for this theory, Andy Hogg. the Sc,
; ton and Ralph Hogg, the Presbyterian shoe
maker, were the slovenliest fellows in tn
borough, save the Quaker. who was perhap
the slovenliest fellow in The world, and ha
> probably for that reason taken up his abod
at Redcross. Then there was Mary Jan
, Hogg, wife Of Luke Hogg, the grocer, VII
d was match for any slattern in Europ,
but, to be sure, she made up by her finer
: on Sunday for the neglect Of her person o
/ the weekdays. Besides, in these days {
Protestant ascendancy. the Hogs had a
! authority and power which the M'Swyn'
Z and O'Gogarties had not, The town hs
corporation, and the members Of it wei
: all Hogs, OF Of the Hogg faction. The
$ might have paved. and swept, and washe,
Is and whitewashed the municipality il the
} pleased. There were two aldermen Of Il
U name, three burgesses, two water.bailiffs, g
g officer called a gangbeggar, and anoth
: styled butter-taster. The butter-tastersh
was very snug thing, 1.-TWO hundred yea
3 with Perquisites, and the holder Of it liv,
: at Cauickfergus. The gang beggar, w
3 resident, and terrified the Celtic lazzaror
II BY furious display Of authority annual
Is every Michselmas. The rest OF the We
d three hundred and sixty.four days. menC
l. cancy hourished better than any other pr
u ession, calling, or trade, ia the borough
Redcfnss. There We're beggars OF all sort
:; .'oung and old, nasle >.I fs--.is, l~~a4 a.
y blind, feeble and able-bodied,-ay, ev,
1t rich and poor. The majority were stra
l. ping women and powerful men, wom'
= who should have had the alternative Of d
spinning-wheel or the stocks. and men wi
should have been put in dilemma betwe,
the tail Of the plough and the tail of d
. cart.-My Uncle the Curate, By the auth
= Of The Bachelor ofhe albany.