Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-11-03
hid IN A TURF.rICx.
IA Irish Eplsode---By 7. Preston Bat.
tershy, Lieutenant Royal
Artillery.
London socieE.l

London Society,"
The Irish are a fine race I"
"That's your opinion, is itP
The speakers were myself and
Ellerslie, captain Of the Royal Enci-
neers, or the "Sappers, as he called
them in popular ~phraseology. Place.
the smoking room of the II. A. mess
at Woolwich. Time, anywhere in the
small hours. When | say that OF the
above sentences the first to plunge at
once in medals res.
After uttering the above oracular
answer, Ellerslie pulled away silently
at his long Havana for a while. I did
not interrupt him, for | saw a twinkle
in his eye, and knew there was some
thing coming presently, He was one
of those men whose thoughts it is not
well to hurry, for fear Of losing their
thread altogether.
At last it came, as | anticipated.
Il don't think | ever told you.
did /, Of my adventures in that
lovely country? In fact the story is
much against myself that | thought
1t Just as well to keep it dark. How
ever, if you will swear solemnly to be
silent as the grave, | don't mind tell
ing you now. At all events, it is not
a bad joke as it turned out, though it
might have been a serious one"
Of course | promised inviolable
secresy, however good the story might
be, and having fortified himself with
a brandy aud soda, Ellerslie began:
Il dare say you know that in the
spring Of 1877 | was sent to Ireland
on special service TO see about build
ing new barracks in two or three
places where they were needed, espec-
tally at Longford, where the govern
ment had, at that time, an idea of
quartering a whole cavalry regiment,
though now | believe they have come
down to one troop of Scots Grays. |
was rather pleased with the commits
sion, for | had never been to the
Emerald Isle before, and saw my way
to a pleasant little excursion at gov
ernment expense. OF course all my
disbursements en- route were to be
paid for me by the liberality Of my
country; | chose the most convenient
way Of getting to my destination, and
travelled, via Euston and Holyhead.
by the night mail, the Wild Irishman,
| believe they call it.
we lett Eust0n at S:25 pm. I
didn't feel much inclined to sleep. and
you know | am a great smoker, so J.
turned into a compartment sacred to
the consumption Of the soothing weed.
There was only one. other occupant
beside myself, a mar of about forty.
we'll dressed, but not to my mind a
gentleman. Indeed, at first sight. /
put him down to be what he was. a
well-to-do Irish farmer, returning
from a business to town, and indulciug
himself in the unwonted luxury Of a
FIRST. class carriage.
Whatever other faults those Irish
have, they are certainly a most friendly
race. By the time we got to Rugby. /
had told my fellow-trayeler all about
my projected plans for seeing his
native country. and found that he re-
joiced in the name Of Cormack, and
lived in the county Westmeath. not
far from the Longford boundary. Be-
fore we reached Chester we were
sworn friends, and BIZ the time we
arrived at Holyhead [ had promised
to pay him a visit during my stay in
his part of the country. This visit it
Yves which gave me such a taste Of
Irish customs as | could very we'll
have dispensed with.
Not to delay too long, | shall pass
over all the incidents Of my first fort
night or 50 in the Emerald Isle, they
being, no doubt, exactly what any
one else would have experienced under
like circumstances. At length |
reached Longford, got through my
work there and determined to call on.
ny new-made friend, for which pur-
pose | took train to q little station
called Edgeworthstown, and there OBJ
tanned an outside car with a lean horse
and a very ragged driver, who under
took, for the sun eighteen pence per
double mile Qrish), to convey me to
my destination. As to the name of
the said destination, dare not venture
on it. | began with the usual 'Bally.
ended, | think, with @ " and had, /
fancy. about four syllables between. Of
a nature utterly unpronounceable to
English lips. Suffice to say that we
got there at length, and pulled up at
the door of a respectable slated farm
house, with thatehed out-buildings
and a well kept grass-feld, on which
two or three colts were feeding, Of a
slimness- of limb and beauty of make
that proclaime1 their owner a racing
man.
The said owner met me az the
door with an elusive welcome. and
asked me into a we'll furnished parlor,
the taste Of whose ornaments con
trasted fayorably with what | should
eeve expected in the house Of an
English %'mer Of the same rank.
| Presently the mistress Of the house
and a pretty fresh looking daughter
entered and shook haads with me
with native politeness. | expressed q
wish to see the farm, aud Cormack
readily offered to show it to me, first,
however, saying a few words in a low
tone to hiswifc, who went OFT nf The
room. a iaoment after | heard wheels
driving away outside.
Only the car, yer honor said
Cormack, in answer to my look Of
inquiry, 1 made free to send it away
for ye It's with US yen be stopping
now, phase God.
1t was true enough. My faithless
Jehu having been paid in adj
vance by me had been only too ready
TO depart, and, unless | choose 20 walk
back to Edgeworthstown which ala