The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-08-12
ii TIPsY DUKES PRANK.
The Story Of How Mrs. Connolly Be-.
came Lady Michael.

The Story Of How Mrs. Connolly Be-.
cams Lady Michael.
In former times there used to be
a certain Duke Of Richmond, then
lord lieutenant Of Ireland, who be-
longed to the hail fellow we'll met
species. With his boon compan-
ions it was his almost daily habit
to 60 to u certain fashionable inn
at Bray, kept BY one Michael Con-
molly. There much wine was con-
sumed during his incumbency Of
the lord lieutenancy, and many
and wild we're the nights that the
little inn at Bray witnessed. Con-
molly had a reputation as being the
best cook in Ireland, and it was
said his wine was the best to be
found within the confines Of the
Emerald Isle. The Duke of Rich
mond said so. and he ought to have
known, as he had eaten tons of the
one and imbibed tons of the other.
Connolly's cooking and Connol-
ly's wine we're popular themes of
conversation with his lordship, and
he was not niggardly with his praise
Of either. Wine is a great leveler
Of ranks, and so it fell out one
night that the duke, carried away
by his admiration for Connolly's
talents in kitchen and taproom,
committed an egregious, amusing
mistake. The night in question
had been an even more than usual
" wet one at the inn at Bray, and
the duke. the innkeeper himself
and all of the dukes companions
were lost to all sense Of either pro-
portion or the eternal fitness of
things.
Therefore no one thought it
strange when the duke sent for
mine host and, after a speech Of
praise Of his viands, the way in
which they were prepared and es-
pecially of his wine cellar. babe
him kncel. Then, striking him
across the shoulders, he said, "Rise,
Sir Michael Connollyw And Sir
Michael rose amid the rapturous
applause Of those present. II
seemed quite the proper caper then,
but the next morning, as it came
back to still further jar the aching
a Of the duke. it bore a some
what different aspect, and the prin-
cipal question that agitated the
ducal mind was how he was to gel
out of the scrape.
Connolly was summoned and, in
the faint hope that the ceremony
had made no impression, asked il
be remembered aught that happen.
ed the night previous. Sir Michae
did and manifested a disquietins
determination to hang on to hi
newly acquired title. But, as hay,
lesser and greater men before AMI
since, he fell willing victim I,
bribery and finally agreed not tt
press bis claim to knighthood. TIL,
price was heavy, but not too higf
to pay for the suppression Of |
tale that would make his grace o.
Richmond the laughingstock o.
London, and so the duke was turn
ing, satisfied with his morning
work, when the late Sir Michae
dashed his self congratulations t,
the four winds.
"iis. your grace, III keep quiet,
he said as he iingled the price o
his title in his pocket, but.
Observation-Disclosures it will tax,
more than the likes Of me to keel
nv wife. Lady Michael Connolly
| quiet about the matter" And /
did. Michael was right. She va
| Lady Michael to her friends from
that day on and always laid claim
to the title. The duke was III,
laughingstock Of London, as b
had feared. but reformed man a
well, for he dared take no furthe
\ risks.-I london Taller.