several days, as a wholesome example to the "mauvais sujets " of the neighbourhood; and, accordingly a manifesto to that effect was issued by the " Right Honourable." Aware that Kimlin's gang were in the vicinity of the the town, and that they would naturally wish to remove their deceased leader, precautionary measures were adopted to protect the corpse against any attempt at abstraction. As the Mall was directly opposite the jail, of course the fatal tree was visible to the sentries round the prison. It was, therefore, intimated to the guard, that Mr. Kimlin was placed under their especial surveillance, and that to the living criminals beneath their charge, they had received the addition of a dead one.

Three days passed, and every thing went on as usual. Mayo was minus a robber, and Sambo richer by two poundnotes and a suit of clothes. Kimlin ceased to be a lion-the maid-servants were tired of admiring him—and there was not a nurse for miles around, who had not gratified her infant charge with an exhibition of the departed murderer. To Sambo alone the sight was still an interesting one, and this was from a pardonable vanity. Every evening, at tattoo, while exercising the large drum, as he passed underneath the tree that bore his handy-work, he grinned as he looked up, and remarked to the mulatto who operated on the tambourine beside him, "Hegh, Bill, him robber well hung; dam good hemp too, or two strands would never hold so big a vil lain up:" and his vigorous stick would descend with additional force upon the sheep-skin. Enough for example had now been done; and it was decided that, on the next day, Kimlin

should be committed to his mother earth.

We have already described the evening as stormy. At midnight the gale was awful, and the sentries, as they peered from their boxes, could occasionally observe through the gloom, the body of the dead outlaw oscillating wildly back and forward in every blast of wind. Within the prison, the jailguard were circled round a blazing turf fire; yet it was in truth a cold and dreary watch; and Sergeant O'Tool feeling an unusual chilliness of the stomach, despatched private Rafferty to procure some whiskey to correct the same, precisely at the moment when the accoucheur departed from his house, hurrying to the assistance of my mother.

Now, Doctor Donovan was well skilled in pharmacy and obstetrics-but, moreover, he was an adept in freemasonry, and a worthy professor of that ancient and honourable craft. That night he had presided over "the enlightened few," and

whether obnubilated by the arcana of the mysterious science, confused by Mark Haggarty's alarm, or bothered by the storm, he could never himself discover; but certain it is, that totally oblivious of Mr. Kimlin being suspended in the Mall, he took the short cut, which he of the red-plush breeches had so judiciously avoided.

Before the doctor sallied forth, Biddy Boyle, to the best of her abilities, endeavoured to secure him against the inclemency of the weather. She encased him in a large coat; his face was defended to the very eyes by a shawl; a silk bandana, tied below his chin, prevented his hat from levanting; while a horseman's cloak over all, appeared to set the tempest at defiance.

While the doctor continued under the shelter of the houses, he progressed gallantly, but the corner turned, he then experienced the fury of the gale. Short and corpulent, he presented a square and compact surface to the action of the wind, which being in nautical parlance, “right aft," hurried him along with astonishing velocity. He had reached the centre of the trees, when a squall raised the capes of his cloak suddenly. To stop was impossible. Hoodwinked, he was impelled forward, till striking against a tree, he endeavoured to arrest his course by catching at it. In the attempt he grasped an object—it was a man's leg! Before he could relinquish his hold, a heavy body bore him to the earth, and the dead murderer lay over him.

Private Rafferty succeeded in his mission, having procured a bottle of "the native" for the especial comfort of his commander. Crossing an angle of the Mall, he cast a hasty glance toward the spot where Kimlin had buffetted the storm, and vainly strained his vision to assure himself that the person of the outlaw was secure. No opaque form, however, presented itself in the partial moon-light. "Holy Virgin! can this be possible?" he exclaimed, rubbing his eyes anew; but the branch that "bore the weight of Antony was bare and unadorned as any of its kindred boughs. Pat Rafferty, albeit as stout a sentinel "as ever called stand to a true man,' was no hero where a dead one was concerned; he was just as contiguous to the departed patriot as his fancy would require, and accordingly contenting himself with a distant "reconnoissance," he proceeded to the guard-room to deliver at the same time his whiskey and tidings to the superior of

ficer.

27

"Cead fealteagh !"* exclaimed Sergeant O'Tool, as he eyed the bottle in his comrade's hand: "I niver needed a drap so badly, for I feel as if I had swallowed a snow-ball: give us a galliogue, Patshiene;"† and presenting a glass, it was filled and discussed with marvellous celerity. "That puts life in a man. Phew! there's a squall! Fresh hands at the bellows, gintlemen. What a swing Kimlin got!"

"The devil a swing," replied the bottle-holder, turning down a bumper in imitation of his worthy commander: "Kimlin has bate a retrate, as sure as my name is Pat Rafferty." “Death announs! asy with yee'r jokes," exclaimed the gallant sergeant.

"Jokes! By this book"-and here he pressed the bottle reverently to his lips-" there's not a rag of him on the tree, more than I'm there.'

"Mona mondiaoul!" said the sergeant, "we're ruined, horse and foot! Corporal, avourneein,‡ run for the sake of Jasus-take a squint outside, and tell us what ye see."

Short was the corporal's absence; and when he returned, the fatal news was certified.

Och, murder!" said Mr. O'Tool; "the Right Hanarable will hang us every mother sow!! Come along some of ye;" and seizing a lantern, which he lighted, off ran the sergeant, followed by five or six files of the jail, guard.

It was a fortunate circumstance for the unlucky accoucheur that the descent of Mr. Kimlin had been so speedily discovered; and great was the astonishment of Sergeant O'Tool, when he found that in place of one body, he had a second to account for.

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"Blood and thunder, boys! where did this one drap from? Why, this 'bates Bannagher.' A groan interrupted him."Mother of God! which of thim was that?" and he crossed himself. Hold the light down. Why, this one's alive! Hallo! dacent man, who the divil are ye? Lord, how wild he looks! Phew! I comprehend it; he was stalin the corpse. Arrah, bad manners to ye-I've done worse before now than put the baynit through your carcass." Another long and hollow groan succeeded. "He's dacently dressed too, the thief of the world! Lift him ;" and by main force the doctor was raised to a perpendicular. "What have ye to say, ye divil, for this attimpt-Sorra take ye, wantin to rob the Right Hanarable-Arrah, who the blazes are ye?"

* A word of welcome.

† Anglice, "A glass-full, Pat."

Corporal, darling.

But before the sergeant could be answered, a recruit lifted the lantern and scrutinized the features of the supposed culprit.

66

Holy St. Patrick! can this be Doctor Donovan ?" A feeble affirmative was groaned out.

"Oh, thin, it's larkin ye were, Doctor?" said the sergeant. "Arrah, for shame, to pull the crature about, after the tassing and tumbling he has underwint these three days. Go to your warm bed—it's no night for a steady little man like you to be out upon the batter. Help him home some of ye; for, by my conscience, whether it's fear or liquor, the devil a leg the man can lay before the other."

One

With considerable difficulty Doctor Donovan was carried by the soldiers to his own house, just as Mark Haggerty arrived a second time, to hurry him to attend my mother. glance at the unlucky accoucheur, satisfied him of the redplush breeches, that he must seek assistance elsewhere. Having heard a brief and confused narrative of the accident from the guard, Mark hastened back to my father, who was pacing the hall impatiently.

"Is he coming?" asked the latter. "He's kilt," was the reply.

lin!"

"My curse attend ye, Kim

pa

Dreadful was the consternation which Mark Haggerty's intelligence created: all and every, from the cook to the kitchen-maid, crossed themselves devoutly, and aves and ternosters were plentifully ejaculated. And while the butler was despatched to rouse the regimental surgeon, and my father was striving to conjecture by what ingenious device a dead man had contrived to finish a living one, the old nursetender shouted from the stair-head that my mother had produced an heir, "and, och, but he's a born beauty!"

Gentle reader, such were the circumstances attendant on my entrée into life; for the nurse's beauty was myself, your humble servant.

CHAPTER II.

MEMOIR OF MY FATHER.

Says the priest to my parents, ye ugly ould pair,
Arrah, where could you get such a beautiful heir!

Irish Ballad.

How strictly the latter part of this admired distich might be applicable to myself, modesty will prevent me insinuating; but certainly the former was not so to my parents, for both were young and handsome.

Cæsar Blake (for thus my father was designated) was the descendant of an ancient family, and the youngest of four brothers. The eldest succeeded to ancestral dignities and estates, and had been duly indoctrinated in fox-hunting and field-sports, electioneering, drinking, and duelling; in short, in all those accomplishments which, for time immemorial, have been considered by the best authorities, the sole end for which Irish gentlemen were originally created. The second was a field-officer in the Austrian service. The third held a command in the Spanish marine. The fourth, my father, entered the British army when a boy, where he attained the rank of major.

Cæsar Blake was a general favourite with his regiment, which, though a flashy corps, was in no way remarkable for strictness in its discipline. The men were chiefly Irish, and consequently there were among them not a few of that description, known among soldiers by the title of " the king's bad bargains." The officers were young, wild, and gentlemanly. The colonel, an easy-tempered, good hearted, harddrinking veteran, averse to all manner of severity, and of course obnoxious to being imposed upon by the men. the regiment was frequently in scrapes-the officers perpetrating all sorts of mischief, and the men fighting with any who would so far oblige them. Complaints being eternally forwarded to the general of the district, at last the case came under serious consideration at the Horse Guards; and to abate the evil, it was deemed advisable to remove the old commander, and replace him with a tartar.

Hence

But, from his previous services, there was no small difficulty in depriving Colonel Selby of his regiment. Fortu