lled his hat stuck on the back of his head, and what was left of his
coat-tails flying in the air behind him, heading for the first stone
wall, and, before you could say "knife," he was over it like a bird,
across the road, over the wall the other side, with a "whoop-la" that you
could have heard in the cathedral in Limerick.

Just as well to mention that Rosinante's age was what is known amongst
horse-copers as "uncertain," that is, anywhere between nine years old and
twenty-four.

After that (it was not long before we were again at the Castle) I asked
Mick Molloy how much he wanted for the horse. He said, "Shure, I'll just
take what I gave for it. He's no good to me."

I asked him how much that was, and he said, "Five pounds."

I was so surprised, that he became quite apologetic, thinking he was
asking too much, and quickly began to sing the praises of his mount. I at
once disabused him of the idea by telling him that I couldn't give him
less than L7 10s., which might help him a little towards his getting an
animal that would pull his car up the hill. The horse became mine, and
the late owner left the barracks wishing me all the blessings that our
good God and Ould Oireland could bestow on my humble head. The end of
Mick Molloy came later on.

CHAPTER IX

UNRULY TIMES IN IRELAND

Affairs in Ireland have always been a source of wonderment to me. Ever
since the days I spent there, right through to the present time, the
doings--at one time or another--of some of the inhabitants of Ireland
have puzzled most people. All the talent of all the Prime Ministers and
Members of Parliament, within these forty years, has been unable to
ensure for Ireland such political and economic conditions as would have
made it the happy country which it ought to be.

When I was there in 1877-1878 the times were full of trouble, and I
recall several episodes which show the temper of the people at that day.
Some four miles from Limerick is a place called "Woodcock Hill," where
the rifle ranges, for the instruction in musketry of the troops quartered
there, were situated. Close to the range was a small Catholic chapel,
standing practically by itself. An infantry regiment was quartered in
Limerick at the time. It was an English regiment; its depot, from which
the recruits fed it, was somewhere in the North of England, and the
number of Catholic soldiers in its ranks was very small in proportion.
One Sunday morning the priest atten