The Irish standard., 1886-06-26

Irishnlan in distress
'.Isn't he mighty cute, intirely?" said
Henley.
"Wonderful-but tell me, Tom, didn't
Lanty say the fellow generally carried q
fshin rod with him?''
"Ay, did he; but who the deuce cud
carry fshin rod with him such q night
as this, when the strongest of us can
scarcely carry ourselves againt the
storm? O, as for that, you needn't be
the Taste afeerd in life; he's the very
man yer lookin for, as sure as your
name is Ned Griffith. ("
s'Say, what Lanty do you mean?" de-
manded Weeks; 'Lanty Hanlon-eh?"
"Niver mind, itmakes no difference to
you who he is.''
"Well, not, much, I guess, but if I
could see him just as well as not, I
might save you further trouble on my
account. Let me see, he lives in this
here neighborhood, somewhere, don't
he?"
Come, come, my good fellow, this
hootlwinking won't take just at present.
You may be very smart, and cunning
and all that, but have had some twen-
ty years experience of gentlemen OF
your profession. So, come on; We'll
take ;rou down here to one OF these
houses in Ballymaghey for the night,
and carry you before Mr.. Johnston TO-
morrow. You can then call on Lanty
Hanlon to give you character, and as
many more as you plaze. Lift your
feet and they'll fall themselves, he add
ed, grasping the unfortunate Weeks by
the collar. ttCome away out OF this
rain; come, trot, my customer, trot--
you've legs enough il you only use
them
ssTrot hip vociferated Weeks at
last, losing pntience; ''if you don't let
go my collar this instant, I'll blow your
brains out. Away, you ignorant, beg
carly savages--darn you, to take me for
COW thief. Away-make tracks this
minute, Or by
s'Be aisy, my valiant fellow. be aisy, y
saia the bailiff, still gripping him by the
collar.
"No, / shan't---let me go---I II not put
up with this, no how
''Don't fret-well put you up, and in
lavender, too; never fear"
ST tell you once more, I'm Ephraim
G. B. Weeks, cousin-german to the
Hardwrinkles Of Crohan.''
80, thin, bad scran to the much ye
need boast Of the connection" replied
Henley, helping the bailif to drag him
down the hill.
ssUnhand me, villains, unnand me;
I'm stranger here-I'm foreigner;
| 'sAnd sure we're only help;n to send
you to foreign parts again. o, faith,
honey, Well accommodate ye that way,
and welcome
"Look here-,hold on" vociferated
| Weeks, as they ran him down the hill
II want YOU to understand who J. am
I'm citizen--a free-born citizen of the
United States, under the protection OF
the stars and stripes, and I protest
against this violence-I command you in
the name Of my country to let me go.''
'tBedad, that's very alarmin, Ned
isn't it?''
| ella, ha! mighty alarmin, intirely,' y
responded ihe bailihf. 'sHe speaks like
that Yankee fellow, in Dublin, last
week, who threatened the magistrate
with the stars and stripes, because lie
fined him five sh1ll1ngs for splitting to-
bacco jnice Oh a lady's DRESS
In this way the bailiff, assisted by
Tom Henley, continued to drag the un~
happy Weeks down the south side Of
Benraven Mountain, despite his solemn
protest against the outrage, and his fre-
uuent assurances OF his innocence, and
finally succeeded in conveying him to q
house in the little village OF Ballymaga-
hey, where, late as the hour was, light
was atill burning.
As the party approached the house,
several voices were heard within, some
speaking loud, some laughing, others
singing, and now and then the squeak Of
fiddle breaking out at intervals. %
Without pansing an instant, the bail
iff knocked loudly on the door, and the
next moment pushed in before him
Ephraim Weeks, haggard and torn, and
dripping like water god.
The fiddle stopped short in the middle
of Miss McCloud's reel, and the alright
ed dancers fell back, and left the floor
clear to the new comers.
go, hierna!'' cried some one in a
stage whisper he's mad-see how his
eyes rowl in his head-he'lI tear us in
pieces.'
The young females, hearing this, took