ich phrase he evidently considered
unanswerable. The Land League he contended was a fair combination to
protect the interests of the tenants, and avowed that all evictions
were unwarrantable acts of tyranny. The Belfast man showed that these
arguments were equally applicable to the other side, and asked the
patriot if eviction were not likewise "a bloodless weapon," to which
inquiry the Mullingar man failed to find the proper answer, and, not
coming up to time, was by his backers held to have thrown up the
sponge. This incident is only valuable as showing the poor line of
country hunted by the more brainy Nationalists. A County Clare man
boasted of his collection of Irish curiosities. "I have the pistol
O'Connell shot So-and-So with, I have the pistol Grattan used when he
met Somebody else, I have the sword of Wolfe Tone, the pike that Miles
O'Flanagan--" Here the Ulsterman broke in with--

"Excuse me, Sir. There's one thing I'd like to see if ye have it. Like
you, I am a pathriotic Irishman, and take deloight in relics
appertaining to the histhory of me counthry. Tell me now, have ye the
horsewhip, the thunderin' big horsewhip, that young McDermot, of
Thrinity College, used when he administhered condign punishment to Tim
Healy? Have ye that, now?"

The County Clare man was completely knocked out. He discontinued the
recital of his catalogue, and surveyed the scenery in dignified
silence. His own friends chuckled. This was the most unkindest cut of
all. Irishmen love to see a splendid knockdown blow. They are full of
fight, and their spirit must have vent. They fight for fun, for love,
for anything, for nothing, with words, with blows, with tongues, with
blackthorns, anywhere, anyhow, only let them fight. Remove Mr. Bull,
they will fight each other. Heaven help the right when nobody stands
by to see fair play!

A Mr. Magrath, of Killmallock, was inclined to take a jocose view of
the situation. "Faix, the English could never govern Ireland, an'
small blame to thim for that same. Did ye see the Divil's Bit
Mountains as ye came down from Dublin? Ye did? Av coorse, ye couldn't
help but see them. Did ye see the big bite he tuk out o' the range--ye
can see the marks o' the divil's own teeth, an' the very shape of his
gums, divil sweep him! Shure, I seen it meself whin I wint to the
Curragh races wid Barney Maloney; an' by the same token, 'twas Barney
axplained it to me. Didn't the divil take his bite, an' then didn't he
d