The Irish standard., 1886-11-06

r. ( s - Y Z. /. Z
'Psaugh! psaugh! sir, your explana-
ton only makes the matter worse. Your
conducts disgrace to this bench, sir,
and an outrage on the feelings of your
brother magistrates y
'Hnsh, hush! captain, = demonstrated
the priest, laying his hand on his friends
arm and speaking low. 'sYou must take
another time and place to rebuke Mr..
Hardwrinkle y
"No, sir, I shall not" replied the in
dignant captain ssThis is the proper
time and place to rebuke him; and / tell
him now, here in open court, chat his
conduct throughout this whole affair has
been both unchristian and ungentle-
manly
Captain Petersham you know I'm a
man of peace said Hardwrinkle; or
you would hardly dare to utter such
language here
s'Dare!' and the captain turned on
him such look as might have withered
him up.
II shall quit the. court under protest, .
said Hardwrinkle, rising, since neither
the law nor the feelings Of g gentleman
are respected here
mot an inch, sir. Move but one step
from where you stand, and I commit
you
ssWhat9 commit me?''
cay, yon, sir, for conspiring with
your worthy cousin there to carry off by
force ana violence the person Of Mary
Lee, i'll an open boat from Azaheera
Head to Malinmore, I'll the event of her
not consenting to the marriage. I have
now, sir, in my possession due informa-
tion to that effect, sworn by two Of the
very men you engaged to execute that
damnable design
'The charge is false,' said Hard
wrinkle, but in tones so low anu husky
that the very sounds spoke his guilt.
"And that no time might be lost, ''
pursued the captain, without noticing
the denial, ,--'s that no time might be lost.
the young lady was to have been carried
off this very night, as soon as the sheriff
had removed her uncle, and no one left
to protect her, in that remote and DESC
late spot. but her old and feeble SER
want, Roger O'Shaughnessy.''
Here q murmur of Indignation ran
through the audience, and every eye
turned on Hardwrinkle. That gentle
man made no reply, however. but after
q moments reflection quietly resumed
i,is seat, as if he had made up his mind
to bear his sufferings with the patience
and humility of % martyr.
| During the interruption, Weeks stood
On 5l.e table, or platform, with his hands
driven down into Lis breeches pockets,
and apparently as little concerned at
what was passing as if Hardwtinkle had
not been "a dyops's blood to him in the
spring to carry off Mary Lee was made
against that respectable relation, he
hitched up his shoulders, aud jingled
the silver as usual, but showed no sign
OF either surprise OF resentment. AT
length, however, silence was restored,
and at nod from the chairman, Weeks
again pulled up his shirt collar and re-
sumed his defence.
swell, ladies and gents, + amt a-goin
to detain you long. No, speech-making
ai,'tt in nly line; but still, you know,
every man should be able to tell his owl,
story. Well, as to this darned old crit
ter here. half devil, half catamount, I
guess I have given q pretty considerable
fair account OF my transaction with her
| well enough to show I hain't done her
40 wrong, any how. Then, as to the
dry goods man, let him produce his bill,
and if / Lain u paid him the full value Of
his goods already in pure gold, indie
pendent of the fifty dollar note, why,
I'm ready to suffer the consequence;
that's all. I callzlate, gents, to give
every man his due: but dang a copper
more; and if ! find man tryin to i'm
pose on me, ! manage, some how OF
other, to pay him off in Lis own coin I
repeat it. gents, les this dry goods man,
who supplied me with fishing tackle and
all that sorter thing, let him stand up
here and produce his bill. That's plain
talk; amt it, gents? Well, then, all
that remains now, is to account for my
transaction with Mr.. Hartlwrinkle here
about that note. It goes agjn me to dc
it, it does--tilat's a fact; but considering
the FIX I've got into, ] feel bound to GO
through with it. Mir. Hartlwrinkle may
feel a little put out about it, I guess,
but he's here, you know, On his own
soil, while Tn a stranger, and nothing
to depend on but the bare truth. Besides,
this is about the last day, I reckon, ]
can spend conveniently in this section OF
| the cO7lntry and for the sake of New