ce more attempting
to dissuade him against the fight. Here most unexpected intelligence
awaited them--_Lamh Laudher Oge_ had disappeared. The aunt stated that
he had left the house with a strange man, early that morning, and that
he had not returned. Ere many minutes the rumor was in every part of the
town, and strong disappointment was felt, and expressed against him in
several round oaths, by the multitude in general. His father, however,
declared his conviction that his son would not shrink from what he had
undertaken, and he who had not long before banished him for cowardice,
now vouched for his courage. At the old man's suggestion, his friends
still adhered to their resolutions of walking to the scene of conflict
in a body. At twenty minutes to twelve o'clock, the black flag was
removed from the inn window, the muffled drums beat, and the music
played the same dead march as on the days of uttering the challenge.
In a few minutes the Dead Boxer, accompanied by some of the neighboring
gentry, made his appearance, preceded by the flag. From another point,
the faction of Lamb Laudher fluttering in blood-red ribbons, marched at
a solemn pace towards the church-yard. On arriving opposite his
aunt's, his mother wept aloud, and with one voice all the females
who accompanied her, raised the Irish funeral cry. In this manner,
surrounded by all the solemn emblems of death, where none was dead,
they slowly advanced until they reached the platform. The Dead Boxer,
attended by his own servant, as second, now ascended the stage, where he
stood for a few minutes, until his repeater struck twelve. That moment
he began to strip, which having done, he advanced to the middle of
the stage, and in a deep voice required the authorities of the town to
produce their champion. To this no answer was returned, for not a man of
them could account for the disappearance of Lamh Laudher. A wavy motion,
such as passes over the forest top under a low blast, stirred the
whole multitude; this was the result of many feelings, but that which
prevailed amongst them was disappointment. A second time the Dead Boxer
repeated the words, but except the stir and hum which we have described,
there was not a voice heard in reply. Lamh Laudher's very friends felt
mortified, and the decaying spirit of Lamh Laudher More rallied for a
moment. His voice alone was heard above the dead silence,--

"He will come, back," said he, "my son will come; and I would now rather