The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-06-04
BILLY KIRWAN'S AFFAIR OF
HONOR.

This capital and very Milesian story is
from "a Few More Old Dublin Recol-
lections:"
Few affairs of honor have been sur
passed III real Irish fun by the one which
took place i'll Dublin, in which the cele-
brated tre-eater and champion of the
Dublin corporation, D'Esterre, afterward
shot by O'Connell, came out in ga new
way TO pay old debts" and had his over
strained notions of chivalry turned into
successful ridicule by an honest plain
dealing mans mother-wit and common
sense. D'Esterre used to put his name
to paper without thought of payment.
One day Billy Kirwan, well-known bill
broker, was offered bundle of bills for
discount. 1t was Mr.. Kirwans boast
that he instinctively knew bad "paper 3"
by the feel of it.
"There's bad paper in your lott
can perceive, Sir, without taking the
trouble to look over it seri-ah-tina ct lite
Tah-tiDl," remarked Billy, who had been
originally intended by his pious Galway
parents for the church, and had in his
boyhOod decent converse with the pre-
hminaries of the classics. Ftcnuna hd
bet iH cO77au," he continued, "as a body
might say TO spawned horse. You had
better remove it, if you playse, Sir, be
fore / have anything to say to you, for L
wouldn't touch it with patriot kitchen
tongs, much less dirty my hands with it. ."
:" am astonished to hear you say so,
Sir, said the merchant "and would
you be pleased to mention what it is in
my hand that encounters your obiec-
ton p
Why, certain acceptance signed II.
DEstere, and if you must know my
opinion, would not advance the value
OF a brass button an all that iackass
could draw on the same security"
Good Heavens and why not!
" For a rayson / have and nobody
knows it better than Mr.. D'Esterre him
self, answered Kirwan.
As Mr.. Kirwan was sitting alone after
dinner the same evening, enjoying his
pipe and his glass of punch over one of
MGhee's late leaders in the EUening
Post, or, just as probable, one of Dan
O'Connell's earlier speeches in favor of
Catholic emancipation, the servant came
IL with card from Colonel Henry.
Who's Colonel Henry9" demanded
Kirwan.
Faith, and it's meself doesn't know
him from the man in the MOON"
Rowl In the Colonel and lay another
tumbler" said the master of the house.
Colonel Henry, tall and gentlemanly-
looking man of middle age was ushered
in.
Mighty glad am to see you, colonel,
whatever you've come about" said our
host "but before you begin L would
advise You to mix tumbler Of that ex-
cellent Johnny PO,Oer that's forenent
you. If you take it off at once, it will
pull you through the opening part of
your business pleasantly and comfort
ably aud then you can mix second at
once to prepare you for contingencies.
Col. Henry having taken Kirwan's adj
vice 80 far rs mixing, but not suddenly
absorbing, the liquor, opened his bust
ness with all the grandeur of perfect
Sir Lucius, as in days long gone by Jack
johnson used to enact the part, not
Tyrone Power.
The Colonel very much regretted that
1t fell to his lot to have to deliver hos
tile message to gentleman of such re-
spectability as Mr.. Kirwan from one
equally respectable and estimable as Mr..
D'E.sterre. He repeated the injurious
and insulting expressions which the
gentleman whom he had the honor of ad-
dressing had made use of in speaking of
hs friend during the day to a certain
merchant in the Commercial Buildings,
and which had travelled the round of the
city before night-fall. He pointed out,
moreover, the utter impossibility of Mr..
D'Esterre allowing such an outrage on
his name and character to be uttered and
sent forth to the world without demand
ing the satisfaction of gentleman.
Then, Colonel, honey, come 10 the
point. and just tell me what IL ia that
you want" demanded Kirwan.
An apology or the alternative"