The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1851-04-26

Peter NIslirOOney.

Or all the men ever had occasion to employ,
Peter Mulrooney was the most knowing. He
was intensely lrish--and must have kissed the
blarney-stone, every morning regularly, from his
youth upwards. lreland-if you believe him
was the Eden of the world-a land flowing with
milk and honey and yet, somehow or other, az
ter Peter got settled here, he did not seem to
have any very fcrvent desire TO go back TO his
| Paradise.
His first Introduction of himself TO my notice
was characteristic fthe man.-ITe came towards
me with quick, stumbling gait, and touching
his hat lightly, said
'The top o. the mornin' to yer honor! Would
ye like to hirea handy boy?'
| Peter at least forty.
| what can you dog ! inquired.
SIS II what can do9 Och, begorra, there's
nothing comes amiss to me, any way
'Do you know anything about farming7
'Och, murther! What'ud | be good for if
didnti Sure there wasn't more illigant hand
in Guild Ireland than meeself.'
'llave you ever had anything to do about
horses?'
sBedad sir, ye jist guessed it. Divil n natter
hanl yell find in all county Galway than Peter
Mulrooney-an that's no lie.'
sAnd cows2'
IS it the baseS yc name? Sure yer honor's
in luck the day! Fax, I'd like TO see the man
'ud bate me with the craytnrs.'
'But we farm differently here, Mulrooney,
| from what they do in the old country.
'Sure that's thrue any. how. It's the dirty,
black naygurs, the haythens, that's be doing the
bad work l see. Augh, sorra thing they're
cool for, the man-ating cannibals!'
Sand so you think you could better it, do you p
sBedad sir, it 'ud be but poor chate Of a
! spalpeen am, if couldn't. Wasn't head man
IN ~, nnl,
but he was the illigant farmer. Bad cess to the
day | left him.
'lfyou regret it so much why did you do so?'
'Aych! We may well AK. Twas my own doin'
sure. IT'S bit of shindy l had, and bruk
Terry Lannahan's head wild me shillelah. Och
wirra, wirra, who'd thought it was so sana
'You didn't kill HING said starting back with
horror.
| is it murdered him, We name Begorra, he'd
be poor thing to mind a cracked skull, any way.
Sure sir, it was nothing 10 spake Of
'Then why did you come away!'
'It's dirty name constable that 'ud be coming
atther me- an sure, what could do but bate him
for the throublc he was takin'! Mighty onasey
left him, any way; an that's no lie.'
swell, Peter, suppose try you for month";
| OF course do not expect you TO have perfect
knowledge Of our ways al first. You must let
me see what you can do
'Good luck to yer honor, it's the raal gintle-
man We are. Wha,ll be dom frstr
Peter was set to perform various light services
upon the place; for, entertaining certain misgiv-
ings as to Mr.. Mulrooney's actual capacity,
determined to employ him as sort OF odd man
until such time as / could test more fully the
amount of farming skill he really possessed.
The result was, that l soon found Peter knew
actually nothing beyond the simple use of the
shovel. With that implement he was truly dex-
trous. Horses, he could neither feed, clean or
manage. In ploughins, he was positively so
, awkward, that instead Of guiding firmly the han
dies of the plough, he pushed them forward with
all his strength, trotting along all the time by
the side of the furrow; and instead ofcuttng his
turrow slices straight, and of an even depth, he
ran them, in and out, in the crookedst way i'm
aginable; while the depth of ploughing, undu-
lated from two to eight inches.
These experiments convinced me Of Peters
incapacity; so, from thenceforth, kept him en-
| ployed at ditching, in the garden, or in per-
| forming light Offices for the household
One day, having occasion TO go to town, /
| called him TO ne.
Peter,' said |, Il think my carriage runs hcav-
| lily. 1t wants greasing; can you do it7'
Sure sir said he, swhat'd be good for if l
couldn't? Is it erase carriage? Faith, that's
asy enough any way
Easy as it's, Peter, | am half afraid 10 trust
You to do it, You make so many blunders.
Perhaps, after all, had better go with you and
see il done.'
"Och, wirra wirra! did l liver hear the likes
of that. What 'ud We be goin' fort Sure l
! know
'Ah, but Peter, recollect what you said about
the plouehing.'
'Begorran said Peter, nothing abashed-ssIts
all the fault Of the ploughs in this country, any
how. Thems the contrariest things that liver
| broke a poor divil's back-an' that's no lie
'And the horses too that you knew so much
| about p
dts Ameriky bastes they are said Peter.
would yer honor undtherstand Irish, ut first, if
you went across to the ould country9'
shook my head.
sSure thin, that's the way it was,' said Peter,
triumphanty. 'If raal gintleman like yer
honor couldn't understand Irish, is it brute
haste that has the larnin to know it before
tache himl
well, well; but about the carriage
'Bedad, We needn't throuble yarself about it at
all. There's mighty little difference in the car =
riages, see. all the world over.'
sBe careful then, Peter; and grease it well, do
you hear?
'Faix, I'll do that same thing. I'll be placing
yer honor this time, any way