ot more than a mile and a half from them.

In the meantime we shall leave them to pursue their game, and beg our
readers to accompany us once more to the house of our friend, Fitzy
O'Driscol, who, what between the dread of assassination on the one
hand, and the delight of having a proper subject to justify him in
communicating with the government on the other, passed his time in
alterations, now of fear, and again of his peculiar ambition to be
recognized as an active and fearless magistrate by the then existing
powers, that were, to such as knew the man and understood his character,
perfectly ludicrous. On the morning in question, he was, as usual,
seated, in his morning-gown and slippers, at the breakfast-table,
reading a country paper, in which, by the way, appeared the following
paragraph:--

"TURBULENT STATE OR THE COUNTRY.--We regret to say, that the state of
the country is every day becoming more and more unsettled. A few
days ago, whilst one of our excellent and most resolute magistrates,
Fitzgerald O'Driscol, Esq., was engaged in his office, determining an
important case of assault that came before him, and which he did, as he
usually does, to the perfect satisfaction of the parties, he received, a
threatening notice, couched in most violent language, in fact, breathing
of blood and assassination! Why a gentleman of such high magisterial
character as Mr. O'Driscol should have been selected as an object of
popular vengeance, we do not understand. Mr. O'Driscol combines in
himself all those qualities that are peculiarly suited to the discharge
of his duties in such distracted times as the present. Whilst firm and
intrepid, almost to a miracle, he is at the same time easy of access,
impartial, and kind to his humble countrymen, to whom he has uniformly
proved himself mild and indulgent, so far as justice--which by the way,
he always tempers with mercy--will allow him; and in consequence of
this, he is uniformly known, and deserves to be known, as the poor man's
magistrate. It is true, he is known also to be a man of highly loyal and
constitutional principles; a warm friend to order, peace, and a resolute
supporter of the laws of the land--qualities which are looked upon as
crimes by the resolute and disloyal among our kind-hearted but misguided
people. Of one thing, however, he would beg to apprise the mistaken
individuals who have ventured to threaten him, and that is, to take care
how they attempt to put their