[To Tag EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR. "] Sin,—The reference in your
review of Mr. Macdonagh's book in the Spectator of February 18th to the characteristic of the Irish to amuse themselves at the expense of the Saxon reminds me of the following story, told of the coaching days in the County Donegal. The conversation was overheard at the end of a journey. Guard : " That was a great talk ye had with the gintil man in front, Micky. W hut was it all about?"— Driver: " Ach, I did raise the head off him wi' lies."—Guard : " An' what did ye want to be doin' that for ? Shure, he was a decent enough lookin' gintilman."—Driver : " Ach, share he was an Englishman. Is it God's truth I'd be after wastin' on the likes o' him ? " Another story from the same county, but of quite recent date, you may think worth printing. A farmer who was ill beyond all hopes of recovery had occasional fits of coma. The doctor advised the wife, when one of these attacks came on, just to moisten his lips with a little brandy ; upon which the poor woman remarked with reproach : "Doctor, dear, is it to go into the presence of his Maker with the smell of spirits in his breath ye'd be bavin'
Previous page
