Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-07-27

| ~ III sell, answered Jn(
driver. but your honor looks tireC
naming no offense-and perbaD,
you'd take lift in the gig ?" .
''Thank you; will take Iift.n ]
replied, as 1 stepped forward and
sprang quickly into the seat. s'The
truth is, l feel rather tired, as yor
say"
"And has your honor walked far?'
asked the driver, as the gig rolled OF
toward town.
"I've walked from Ballina since
morning." replied quietly.
''From Ballina! there now, the
LOrG save u.s." cried the man, as he
half turned in his seat and gazed at
me in astonishment. "Why, that's a
days work for the best horse in the
masther's stables"
"Your master must keep good
horses, if may Judge by the one be-
fore US, l answered.
''The best in all the country, your
honor, though l do say it. There
isn't a gosson in the three baronies
but knows that"
"Your masters bit of sportsman,
-then?"
eyes, your honor; and if he'd stick
to that, it's himself'd be the best
liked man from Ballina to Bally-
shannon. You wouldn't find a bet
ter rider, or warmer heart in a
days march. But sure thin politics
has been his ruin with the people" :"
"Oh, ah; | have often heard that
Sligo was a hot place during cleo
ton; but surely the people don't turn
upon their friends at such a time?"
''They'd turn upon their own faith
er, if he wint agin them" replied the
driver, solemnly. ''See now, here l
am driving the masters own gig to
town, just by way of blind, ye see,
while he's got to slip down the strame
in Jimmy Sheridan's bit of a boat.
All, thin politics, thin politics!'
"Oh! then there's an election
about to be held, presume.
'Thrue for We, your honor, thrue
for ye. There niver was such rue
tion in Sligo before in the mimiry of
man. Two lawyers fighting like the
divil to see who's to be mimber."
''Then Pm just in time to see the
fun"
"Fun, your honor" echoed the
man, "It's not meSelf that'd object
to bit of scrimage, now and thin.
But it's murdher your honor'll see
before it's over, or my names not
Michael O'Connor. Whist now! Did
ye hear nothing behind that hedge
there ?"
At this moment we were about
the middle of a rather lonely stretch
of the road, one side of which was
bounded by high, thin hedge; the
dusk of the evening was fast giving
way to the gloom of night.
"I-ah-yes, surely there is some
thing moving there. It's some ami
NAL, most likely" l replied.
"Down in your safe! down for
your lifep shouted the driver, as in
his terror he brought the horse to
halt, q
His speech was cut short by
couple of loud reports. A lance-like
line of fire gushed from the hedge,
and one if not two bullets whistled
close past my ear.
As | sprang to my feet in the gig
the driver slid down to the mat, and
lay there moaning.
care you hurt?" asked, as l
strove to take the reins from his pal
sled hands.
"rm kilt, kilt entirely" he moan
ed.
"Aisy there, aisy now, your hon
orr" cried a voice from the hedge
Just as had gained the reinS. "It's
all a mistake, your honor, all mis-
take"
"Give the mare the whip! give the
mare the whip!" cried the driver, as
he tried to crawl under the seat;
swell all be murthered.
Instead of taking his advice, how
ever, l held the mare eady,while a
man pressed through the thin hedge |
and stood before us, yet smoking
gun in his hands.
"What's the meaning of this?"
asked coolly, for the newcomers !
GOODNESS affected me. "Did you want |
to murder man you never saw be-
fOre?"
"T'm raale downright sorry, your
honor" replied the man in just such |
a tone as he might have used had he |
trOd upon my toe by accident, "but
ye see you're in Wolf O'Neil's gig, |
and | took ye for him-where's that
fellow Michael?"
AS he said this, the man prodded |
the driver with the end of his gun,
while II actually laughed outright |
at the strangeness of the affair.
"Go away wild ye, go away, "moan-
ed the driver "Murther, thaves,
murther!"
"Get up with ye, and take the
reins, you gomeril," said the man, as
he gave Michael another prod that !
brought him half out. "YOu're as big
a coward as my granny's pet calf
get up or Pill.
ooh, don't; there don't say moth
ing for the love OF heaven" cried the
driver, as he scrambled into his seat
and took the reins again into his
shaking hands. 'I'll do anything ye
till me, only put that gun away"
"There," said the man, as he low
cred the gun till its mouth pointed
to the ground; "will that plaze ye?
Now tell me where's Squire O'Neil?"
"He's in in the town be this. Oh,
them politics, them politics"
''Hum; so he's managed to get
past us after all. Well, tell him from
me, Captain Rock, that if he votes
for the Sarjint tomorrow, it's an
ounce of lead out of this he'll be
after trying to digest. Now mind"
"I'll tell him, captain, dear; I'll
tell him." replied the driver as he
fingered the reins and whip nervous
ly. "But mayn't we go on now
mayn't we go on?"
"Yis, whiniver the gentleman
phases; and Pm Taale sorry, as | told
Vour honor. Pm raale sorry at the