The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-03-17
A WOnAN'S WIT.

In the year 15'; queen Mary at the
instance Of Or. cole. issued a commis-
sion ordering immediate prosecution oe
the Protestants # Ireland The COM
mission, 6dly signed by the queer, was
10 be carried by Or. Cole himself, ard.
oyeriOvcd at his trust--for he was q re-
lentless prosecutor. hated by Catholics
ana Protestantg alike-hc set off on
December 19, 1857. promising "a merry
Christmas Ia Irish heretics." On the
way he had 10 stop one nigEt al Ches-
ter, where he found lodgings i'm the
house of "A Mrs. Edmonds. AS queens
messenger and churchman of distnc-
tion, he was visited by the mayor cf
the city, TO whom he boastingly said:
Here is a commission that shall lash
the heretics." at the same time drawing
box out OF his cloaking and display
ing the small square parcel the COM
mission formed. says Lloyd's Weekly.
Now il CHANGED that the landady
heard what was said, and. as she was
a Protestant and had brother in Dub
lin, she was much alarmed and upset
Not long before she had been rating her
son for gambling, and had taken from
him a pack Of cards of which he was
the proud possessor. The size OF the
packet produced 10 the mayor by DR..
cole was exactly that of a pack of
cards, and gave the good wo-
man an idea of how she might render
the prosecutors journey futile. Her
chance came when the mayor left and
u. cole. with great ceremony, attend
ed him downstairs 20 the door TO take
leave She quickly seized the box,
which was left upon the table opened
It, took out the commission, slipped off
the oil-skin coverings and put them
over the pack OF cards, which she
placed I'm the box. while she put the
commission in her pocket.
When the doctor came back to his
room he had no suspicion OF what had
happened. but put the box again into
his Cloaking, and next morning set forth
ON his Journey. lie arrived in Dublin
on boxing day, and, having notified his
arrival at the castle. Lord Deputy FttZ-
Walters summoned the privy council
90 hear Coles mission. The doctor made
a long speech In which h. explained
the object OF his coming. ana then pre-
scented the leather box with its con-
tents TO the lord deputy. When the
deputy opened 10 for the SECRETARY -
read The commission his surprise and
Dr. Coles confusion may be imagined
when nothing appeared but "a pack NJ
cards. with ,h' ku1yc or clubs upper
most The doctor assured the lord dep
uty and the counsel that De hal n CONF
mission. bat knew NOT how or where
"a could DE cnuc. Then said Fits-
Walters. "yuu can ego back Tor another
commission. and we VIII shuttle the
cards iu the meanwhile The doctor
withdrew i'm great trouble OF mind ami
eventually made his way back 90 Eng
land Here he Nus snUnlly rated ANA
abused. and uot til october. ljaN. did h'
uat th, fresh commission. With this.
however. me duiliri some tim" before
sturting. and just Ass he was about to
sgu Narys death rendered it null aud
void.
That is how. at christmas w.. a
mack Of cards saved ireland from Tho
trouble ~ persecution. and why thr
kugve of clubs was Cor q long time
known as ireland friend Elgob On
Edmonde. who burU.d thc commission,
was srou aftprWlrI married to man
rrmed Natharaho1i ana queen Eliza
u.fn. sumwuuinE the tWo to court gave
them 81 pension Of $50 year Tor
"uumpus the trick cf her enemy"