Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-03-13

tOn-How he Stole his own Silver Plate
from n Money. Lender.
Among the traditional anecdotes floating
about Dublin, respecting Sir Jonah Barring
ton, author of certain Irish Sketches, more
amusing than true, is this one
Sir Jonah, who was Judge of the Irish
Admiralty Court INDUCED in such ex-
tremely costly living that, at last, he found
il impossible to continue on Irish soil-so long
as imprisonment for debt was in operation.
He made quiet preparations for flight to
Paris, where he resided for the last twenty
years of his life. He had sufficient Interest
with the British Government to obtain their
sanction to his judicial duties being per-
formed by deputy, and the arrangement was
SO secretly made that no Dublin friend but
the future deputy was in Barrington's con-
fidenee.
This was in 1915, during the Vice-royalty
Of Earl Whitworth, with whom as well
with the Irish Secretary 1.-THE late Sir
Robert Peel) Sir Jonah was on very inti-
mate terms. 1t happened that Barrington's
fine service of silver plate, worth about
$4,000, was in pawn with Mr.. Grace, a we'll
known jeweler in Dame-street, Dublin, who
often advanced money, with all an uncJe'S
kindness, to distressed individuals who could
deposit with him the safe security of valu-
able property. Darlington, who determined
ludt HIS tUSt DuOllu D6 lOuH
remembered for its magnificence, and whose
credit with wine merchant, butcher, poult-
erer, fshmonger, frutereT, and grocer was
very good, determined that his guests should
eat off silver. He knew that Grace would
not part with the silver dinner. service with
out full repayment of all the advances
made upon it. He luckily caught Grace at
his door, and after some conversation on
general topics said, "By-the-way, Grace, you
have never dined with me. l shall have
little dinner next week. The Lord-Lieu-
tenant and Mr.. Peel will be of the party,
and if you will join it, | shall take suitable
opportunity of recommending you to both
OF them, and l can tell you, my boy, that if
l do, it is almost certain that you will have
heavy orders from both, as heard Peel say,
| few days ago, that he thought it the duty
of Irish officials to spend their incomes in
| Ireland, where they receive it. He is court
ing pretty Miss Floyd, you know, and the
/ marriage outfit will be splendid"
Mr.. Grace was literally astonished as we'll
as charmed with the prospect of dining in
company, at the table of the Admiralty
Judge, with the Viceroy and OhiefSecretary
of Ireland-to say nothing of the prospect
i've advantages. He gratefully accepted Sir
Jonah's invitation for that day week, and
talked, condescendingly, to his neighbors
about his coming honor. Until the fore
noon of the intended feast-day, Darlington
never revisited Mr.. Grace. On that forenoon,
however, he happened, accidentally, as it
was,) again to come across the rotund jew
eler and ney.lender, who, as before, was
airing himself at his shop. door. "Don't for
get, he said, "that we dine at sharp seven.
By the way, do you know any respectable
shop where man may have the use of a
little china, by paying for it2" C..
Mr.. Grace named MIR. Kerr, in Oapel-street,
the most extensive china dealer in Dublin.
''The fact is" Sir Jonah continued ~ ought
to give Lord Whitworth and his friends a
dinner upon plate, but lam too hard up at
present to release the service of mine which
you have in safe custody, so we must sub
stitute china, and make shift with that" Al
once there rushed through Grace's mind the
idea that as he had manufactured Sir Jonah'i
dinner-service, certainly one Of the finest in
Dublin, it would be capital policy to have il
on the table, as specimen of his work
1 whenever Sir Jonah should introduce the
subject of his skill as worker in precious
metals. Frankly, then, he offered to lend
the plate TO Sir Jonah for the dinner-tc
take it with him little before the appointed
dinner-hour, and see it placed on the table
and at the close of the banquet to take tbt
plate. chests back with him 60, his own shoN
Thus, Sir Jonah Barrington's friends did eat
from silver, after all, and Sir Jonah, true
to his word, introduced Mr.. Grace, the
plump JeWeler, 10 MS ulstlngulshed guests
who promised to bestow portion of theiI
patronage upon him. The entertainment
passed off most convivially, as was the habit
of the time and place, and we believe that
some of the guests did not precisely recollect
ON waking, at what hour, or by what means
or in what house they had gone to bed. Nv
Grace did not wake until eight the nexl
morning, and was not long in ascertaininp
that, precisely two hours earlier, his liberia
host, Sir Jonah Darlington, had quietly
Quilted he house, carefully taking the plate
chests with him, and was on his way, in the
mail packet from Dunleary to Holyhead-
the next vessel to the latter port not sailing
4 (for this was before steaming) until thu
following morning. 7tt
It fact that this comical Irish Judge
who entertained Viceroys and Chief Secreta
ries, actually ran off with his own plate
leaving Mr. Grace in the lurch. Nor, at AM
: subsequent period, was reparation made.