The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-10-16
The Irish Post-Boy of 1885.

In the Irish poSt-boy we are not presented
with the white.jacketed. silk-hatted, top
booted, and bright-Spurred gentleman we
are accustomed to in England, as trim as his
own horses, and as silent, till he touches his
hat to get his fee for driving you. The Irish
post-boy is as scanty in his attire he is
abundant in his intelligence, having always
something to tell his passenger of the locai-
ties they pass through, as though he took
him for book maker. who was taking notes
upon the way He fulfls double function
he is guide as well as driver, and his humor
often lies as much in what he does as in what
he says lie will commence something in
this fashion:
"Do you see that house, yer honor, yon-
der? | suppose you know that's Mr..
d'Arcy's.''
eyes do. Mr.. darcy is very rich,
believer
"Well, sir, maybe he is and maybe he
ism tt
"Why, l thought he was man of for
tuner
"Well, you see, he was purity well off, sir,
It'll he got it What do you mean?"
"Why, sir, when he was heir to the prop
erty he had great expectations, and so, on
the strength of that, you see, he got what
ever money he wanted"
"Well, so he ought, when he was heir to
$4,000 a year.
That's true, yer honor, that's true, sir
But then, you'll understand, that he was
heir to Is 900 year that was spint."
"Oh. see -
$50, when he got the property, of course,
the gintleman was ruined"
"Hilo take care-you were nearly in
the ditch them
Never fear, sir; it's that blackguard
mare that is always shyin' !-IIrrupI"
GLOW close her ears are cut
''Yis, they are, sir-oh, they're close
enough; but nothing will cure the vii
lain
"Cure her How do you meang'
"Why. sir, | persaved that whenever she
started she always cooked her ears up, so
| cut them off, you see, to make her lave
off the trick of startin', but badluck to the
NtHdponu, SUE : J Isl dS Odu d SNSf Si4S
was.''
In a particularly dangerous part of the
road, with precipice on one side of You,
you observe the post-boy keeps an inquir-
ing glance towards his vehicle.
'W hats the matter?' you inquire
''rather an awkward bit Of road here"
"Oh, it is nothin', sir I; it's grand pros
pect,''
"Ycs-of going over. Why, it is some
hundred feet to the bottom"
"Well. it may be-but look at the pros
meet sir: them untains-Oh, they re
grand, sir; they beat the world for dignity.
You'd never see their likes again if you was
TO 60 over twenty precipusses."
After many other tales and difficulties you
reach your journeys end, and then the post
boy as you have surmised, expects gratu-
ity. You give him what you consider to be
G handsome reward for his services, but still
he is not contented.
Sure he says, yer honor wouldn't
mind another shilin' p
emo" you reply, II think I've paid you
literally"
Dut; } "N Il |0i49iie4 '4io way vi Nv S'"'
sir?
"Not pleasant one, by any means"
"And the power of stories ! told your
''S0me Of which, | have heard before"
'Well. then, give me another shillin',
sir, an L Ii tell you somethin', which L will
undertake TO say you never heard before"
Very good. then. there's a shilling.
Now, what's the story | have never heard
before ?''
''Well then, of course your honor remem-
bers the three miles we came along with the
cliff upon one side of us?''
Remember it'll shall never forget !"
well then, you don't know, sir, that |
drove you them three miles without Inch
pin ~