The Shasta courier., 1866-01-20
Half an Irishman and a Trooper.

Sometime about the year 1920 a man
named Mackey kept an inn and carman s
stage in Upper Patrick street, in the city OF
kikenny-he was an lrishman, every inch
Of him. :. seed, breed and generaton," and
he was proud of it, and boasted of it; nor
was it at all safe or prudent for any man,
gentle or simple, to drop word in his hear
ing that tended to disparage in the slightest
degree. the land of st. Patrick Mackey
was light, square set man, about five fee;
seven or eight inches in height, agile as a
deer, and brave as lion-one of those i'm.
petuous Celts with whom impulse and action
go hand in hand At the time about which
we write. it was yrare thing for .ae inhab-
itants of the Marble city to be favored with
the visit of troop of cavalry; indeed. very
few soldiers of any kind were quartered
there, and there was always room to spare
in the ample barracks; therefore it became
NJ ordinary nine days' wonder when sud,
denly stronge body of heavy Dragons
broke the tranquility Of events by making
their appearance in full military panopl
Those fellows were Of the antique genus
which we now never see-men with enor-
nous brass helmets, having torrents OF
black horse hair hanging down to their very
waists, and at their side and in their hol-
sters swords and pistols of such enormous
dimensions that the appearance of them
struck due awe into all the women in tneir
vicinity.
Those Dragons wore so much hair upon
their upper lips as seemed to trip their
articulation, and gained, for them the con-
temptuous soubriquet Of . hairy pusses. y
Well, one of those crinose terrorists, by
some strange freak of fortune. happened to
be quartered upon our good friend Mackey,
Of Patrick street and never dwelt two
living men under the one roof more opposite
in mind and body than himself and the
trooper.
On one eventful morning the trooper,
after cleaning down his horse and furnishing
up his Announcements, stood in the inn ward
fourishing his long war sword and warming
himself by the exercise. He was a tall full
man over six feet, but rather corpulent-
His height and action attracted the atten
ton Of nome loungers, and as he observed
their adnNration, he could not contain him.
seli but hourishing his weapon over his
head cried ouf-
- Send two,or three Of your Irish Pad
dies hither uhtsl shear their heads off !"
Mackey. who was passing carelessly
through the yard, heard the insolent boast
ings, and seizing long pitchfork that lean
ed against the wall, stood before the big bull
i blazing with anger
. You want two or three Irish Paddles,
don't you? l am only half an Irishman.
you English bulldog; but if | don't give
you enough oft my name is not Mackey :"
So saying, he charged the trooper right
home with the pitchfork The soldier with
difficulty warded of the imminent skewer-
ing-warring Mackey, at the same time
that, if be came again to the charge, he
would be cut down without mercy Another
furious onset was the only answer deigned,
and accordingly to the work Of destruction
the two men set in right down earnest. In
vain was the big heavy sword welded to
deal a downsmiting blow: the light weapon
OF the agiler irishman knocked it aside with
mere dexter0us tip, and deep into the re.
tracing sword arm went, more than once,
and nearly half up their iron teeth the for
midabIe prongs of the biting pitchfork-
The spectators increased, 0ut Mackey warn
ed them off to give him room to spring back
from his assailaat. whose every attack he
parried and repaid with more or less effect
The trooper now made a few point blank
passes at his tormentor, but these nearly
cost him his life, for the longer weapon Of
the lrlshman met the enemy on the metal
buttons, which alone saved him from being
fairly transiixcd-as it was. one Of the
prongs furrowed his breast bone. Now the
trooper began to retire before his opponent.
who pressed on him more and more as he
saw him wearying, and kept his fiery
black eyes rivited on him with such de.
termination and fury that the red-coat
thought at last to put an end to the comb
and his own perplexity by making a furious
onset upon his foe. Makey saw that he
was preparing for last struggle. and dc
termined at once to anticipate him, so. re.
treating two or three steps backward he
suddenly made a furious charge, POINTING
his formidable weapon right at the troopers
heart, who as instantly dropped his blade ia
guard his breast, when Mickey, quick as
thought, caught it within the prongs of the
pitchtork, and with sudden twitch wrune
1t completely out Of his grasp. Down rang
the long sword. Gathering on the pavement
OF the court yard, and down fell the bully
fram blow dealt him across the head with
the handle of the pitchfork.
:" Ask your life" roared the exultant
victor.
1t amt worth the asking when fellow
Ike you IS able to master it, " was the suky
reply.
"Begor, believe So" assented Mackev.
good humoredly. g for, as | told you before,
| am only half an Irishman.' y