etymology is the key to the true meaning. Sir, many of
those expressions popularly termed bulls--"

"Oh, _apropos_ of bulls," said Mr. Meek, in his sweetest accent, "did
you hear of a very singular outrage committed yesterday upon the Lord
Lieutenant's beautiful Swiss bull?"

"Did the Dean pass an hour with him?" whispered Linton to Lady Janet,
who hated the dignitary.

"It must have been done by mesmerism, I fancy," rejoined Mr. Meek.
"The animal, a most fierce one, was discovered lying in his paddock, so
perfectly fettered, head, horns, and feet, that he could not stir. There
is every reason to connect the outrage with a political meaning; for
in this morning's paper, 'The Green Isle,' there is a letter from Mr.
O'Bleather, with a most significant allusion to the occurrence.
'The time is not distant,' says he, 'when John Bull,'--mark the
phrase,--'tied, fettered, and trammelled, shall lie prostrate at the
feet of the once victim of his tyranny.'"

"The sedition is most completely proven by the significance of the act,"
cried out the Chief Justice.

"We have, consequently, offered a reward for the discovery of the
perpetrators of this insolent offence, alike a crime against property,
as an act subversive of the respectful feeling due to the representative
of the sovereign."

"What is the amount offered?" said Cashel.

"One hundred pounds, for such information as may lead to the conviction
of the person or persons transgressing," replied the Attorney-General.

"I feel it would be very unfair to suffer the Government to proceed in
an error as to the affair in question; so that I shall claim the reward,
and deliver up the offender," replied Cashel, smiling.

"Who can it be?" cried Mr. Meek, in astonishment "Myself, sir," said
Cashel. "If you should proceed by indictment, as you speak of, I hope
the Misses Kennyfeck may not have to figure as 'aiding and abetting,'
for they were present when I lassoed the animal."

"Lassoed the Swiss bull!" exclaimed several together.

[Illustration: 162]

"Nothing more simple," said the Dean, holding up his napkin over Mrs.
Kennyfeck's head, to the manifest terror of that lady for her yellow
turban. "You take the loop of a long light rope, and, measuring the
distance with your eye, you make the cast, in this manner--"

"Oh dear! oh, Mr. Dean; my bird-of-paradise plume!"

"When you represent a bull, ma'am, you should not have feathers,"
rejoined the implacable Dean, with a