Weekly Trinity journal., 1877-03-31
AN IRISH HIGHWAYMAN.

'
hi, wife and daughter, determined topper
form the journey by easy stages, in his
own carriage, and with hi, own sleek and
well-ied horses, iastrad of trusting his
bones to the ;eudor mercies If an Irish
post chaj>e and the unhroken gdlroHS
used Tor drawing these crazy vehicles.
One part of this route was through
wild aud mountainous district; and the
Bishop being very humane man and
considauatc of his cattle, made point of
quitting his carriage ut the foot of every
uil and walking to the top. On one of
these occAsiuus, he had loitercd to look at
tho extensive prospects, indulging in n
reverie upon its sterile appearance, and
the change that agriculture might pro-
duco, and in 50 doing suffered his family
and servants to be considerably in al-
vance ; percriviug this, he FASTENED to
make up for lost time, and was stepping
out with his best speed, when n fellow
leaped from behlnd heap of loose stones
and accompanying the flourish OF huge
club with II demoniac yell, demanded
"Money !" with ferocity of tone and
manner perfectly appalling.
The Bishop gave ihe rohber all the sill
yer he had loose in his pocket, hoping
that it would satisfy him but he was
mistaken, tor no sooner had the ullt II
slowed it away in u capaciuus ropt in his
tattercd garments, aud then with another
whirl of his bludgeon and an awful oath
he exclaimed
"And is with the likes of this I'm after
letting yo OFF? a few pnltry Tin pennies,
It's the gould I'll have, or l'll spatter
your bruins. Auah, don't stand shvcr-
ing and shaking there like Quaker in
the agur, but lug out your pursa, ye divil,
immediately, or I'll bate ye us blue as n
whctstone."
His lordship most reluctantly yielded
his we'll filled purse, saying, in tremu-
! lous accent:
"My good fellow, there it is, don't ill-
use me-l've given you all pray lot me
dcpnrt."
Fair md softly if you plaso as sure
n ! IN not II good fellow, haven't done
with SO yet must search for your note
cn,c, lor I'll engage ye htvo few bits of
paper pnynbleuL the bank; 20 hand it
over or you'll sup sorrow Tonight"
Ii wns given up a glance Mt the road
showed That all hope Of a,si-tnuce from
hl~ servants was uunvniiiug the carnrige
had di-nrpcored, bat the Bishop mnde an
instructive movement II, though anxious
To c-capo from further piIngo.
"Wait u while, or mnyb be shall get
angry with you; hand over your watch
and -ale-, and then ye may tudge."
/ Now 1t happened that the divine felt
particular rcgnld lor his watch not So
much rom it, being valuablo but because
it hnd been pre.cnled to him by his first
nutron-nnd he vaututrd to eNpo-lulnts.
"Surcly you haye mllen enough louve
me my watch, and I'll forgive you ali
you hnre doue,"
"Who ax'd your forgiveness ye ould
varmint? Would SO tribe with my
good nature Don't iorcc me to doauy
thing d be sorry Tor, but without uny
more bother, ju.t give mo the watch, or
by all that's holy"
And he jakcd The 5ludgcon from his
right hand to hi. lett, spnt in the horny
palm OF the former, and rcgrasped the
formidable weapon rs though seriously
bent on bringing it into oporuton; this
action was not unhceded by bis victim
he drew forth the golden time piece, aud
with II heavy -igh handed it to the spoil
er, who, rolling the chain aud scnl-
around it, found some widor aperture
IL his apparel into which he crammed it
and giving hlm-efa shnko to ascertain
that he had found by its gravity, Il place
OF -nfrty, he sad
And now be of with you, and thank
the os-d saiol- that ye lave me with
out II scratch ON your skin or tie value
Of your liule finger hurt"
1t needed ho persuasion to induce the
Bishop TO tuln his back upon the spoiler
Of his worldly good, and having no
weight to carry he set of at what eques
trians term hard cantcr." Scarcely,
hoyover, had he reached the middle of
the PERCEPTIONS road, when he perceived
his prosecutor running after him. lie
endeayored to redoube his speed Alas 1!
what chance had he in rnce with one
whose muscles were as strong and elastic
rs highly tempered steel ?
"Stpp you nImble footed thief Of the
world !" ronrcd the robber. "Stop, |
tell you I've Il parting word with you
yet"
The exhausted and defenceloss clergy
man, finding it impossible to continue his
flight, suddenly came to n standslil. The
fellow approached, aud his iace, instead
Of its former lerocity, was lit up with a
whimsical roguishness oil expression, and
he said
"And is it likely I'd let you Off with
better cont on your back than on my own?
and will | be after losing the chance Of
that elegant hit and wig? or with them
this minute, and then you'll be quit o
me"
The footpad quickly divestcd the Bish-'
op Of his single breasted coat-laid VIC.
lent hand. upon the clerical hat and full.
bottomed wig-put them on his own per.
son, aud then insisted on seeing his late
apparel used in their stead and with IA
loud laugh ran of, as though his last feat
had been the most meTitorious OF his life.
Thankful Of having escaped with un-