The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1872-09-19
O-Coupell vs.. Mrs. Morlarty.


Mr.. O'Connell could be seen to greatest.
advantage. Every quality of the advo-
cate and the lawyer he displayed. He
showed research and perfect mastery Of
his profession, and he exhibited his own
great and innate qualities. Who that
ever beheld him on the Munster circuit,
when he was in the height of his fame,
but must have admired his prodigious
versatility OF formidable powers. His
pathos was often admirable; his humor
flowed without effort or art. What jokes
he uttered what sarcasms. How well
he worked his case through,never throw
ing away chance, never relaxing his
untiring energies.
One of the drollcst scenes of vituper-
alton that O'ConneIl ever figured in took
place in the early part of his life. Not
long after he was called to the bar, his
character and peculiar talents received
rapid recognition from all who were
even casually acquainted with him. Ills
talent for vituperative language was per-
ceived, and by some he was, even in
those days, considered matchless as a
scold. There was, however, at that
time in Dublin certain woman, Biddy
Moriarty, who had huckster's stall on
one of the quays nearly opposite the
Four Courts. She was viraSo of the
first order, very able with her fist, and
still more formidable with her tongue.
From one end of Dublin to the other
she was notorious for her powers of
abuse, and even in the provinces Mrs.
Moriarty's language had passed into cur
rency. The dictionary Of Dublin slang
was considerably enlarged by her, and
her voluble impotence had become al
most proverbial. Some of O'COnnell's
friends, however, thought that he could
beat her in the use OF her own weapons.
OF this, however, he had some doubts
himself, when he had listened once or
twice TO some minor specimens of her
Billingsgatc. 1t was moOted once whcth-
err the young Kerry barrIster could en-
counter her, and some of the company
lin O'COnnell's presence) rather too free
Iy r;dicucd the idea of his being able
to meet the famous Madame Moriarty.
O'Conneli never liked the idea Of being
put down, and professed his readiness
to encounter her and even backed him
self for the match. Bets were offered
and taken; it was decided that the
match should come off at once.
The party adjourned 10 the huckster's
stall, and there was the owner herself,
experimenting the sale of her small
wares few loungers and ragged oilers
were hanging around her stall-tor Bid
dy was a character" and in her way
was one of the sights of Dublin.
O'Conneil was very confident of sue
cess. He had laid an ingenious plan for
overcoming her. and with all the ankle
ty of an ardent eXperimental;st, waited
to put i. into practice. He resolved to
open the attack At this time O',On-
neII's own party and the Ioungers about
the place formed an audience quite suf-
ficient to arouse Mrs. Moriarty, on pub
lie provocation, to Il due exhibition of
her powers. O'Connell commenced the
attack:
"What's the price of this walking
stick, Mrs. What's-your-name! 7"
"Moriarty, sir, is my name, and q
good one it is and what have you got
to say agcn it? and one-and-siXpence
the price of the stick. Troth it's cheap
rs dirt-so it is"
"Onc and-sixpencc for a walking stick /;
whew. why you are no better than an
imposter, to ask eighteen pence for what
cost you two-pence."
"TwO-pence, your grandmother" re-
piled Bi,ldy; do you mean to say that
it's chatin' the people am! lmposter
indeed"
"Aye, imposter; and it's that l call
you to your teeth" rcioincd O,Connell.
"Come, cut your stick, You cantank-
erous jackanapes."
"Kecp civil tongue IN your head,
you old diagonal" replied O'Connell
calmly.
"Stop your jaw, you pug-nosed bad
ger, or by this and that" cried Mrs.
Mor;arty, showing her fists, III make
you go quicker nor you come"
"Don't be IN a passion my old radius );
anger will only wrinkle your beauty"
"By the hockey, if you say another
word of impudence I'll tan your dirty
hide, you bastely common scrub, and
sorry I'd be to soil my fists upon your
carcass"
"Whew boys, what passion old
Biddy is in. protest, as I'm a gentle
mani"
"Jinilcman jintleman the likes Of
you jintleman Wishna, by gar, that
bangs Banahgcr. Why, you potato
faced pippin-sneczcr, when did NADIA
gascar monkey like you pick enough of
common Christian decency 10 hide your
Kerry broguc 2"
Easy now, easy now" cried O'Con-
nell, with imperturable good humor,
"don't choke yourself with fine Ian
guage, you old whisky drinking parald-
telegram"
"What's that YOU call me, YOU muir
derin' william - rpared Mrs. Moriarty,
stung into fury.
al call you," answered O'Conncl!, ga
pardlleiogram, and a Dublin Judge and
jury would say that it's no libel to call
You SO 2"
"Oh, tare-aDouns. Oh, holy Biddy!
that an honest woman like me should
be called parrybellygrum to her face.
Pm none of your parrybellygrums, you
rascally gallows-bird; You cowardly,
sneaking, piate-lickin' braggard -