Bits of Blarney

  A NIGHT WITH THE WHITEBOYS.

  In connection with the leadership of John Cussen, an incident occurredwhich may be related here, as a sort of appendix to his own adventures.It is only a trifle in its way, but illustrates the manner in which,even after he had quitted the country, he was regarded by his formeradherents.

  About twelve months after the conviction and transportation of CaptainRock, which eventually led to the breaking up of the Whiteboyorganization--though, here and there, a few branch Ribbon lodgesremained--I was on a visit to my uncle, the self-same owner of Rossmore,mentioned in the previous story, and father of its heroine. RossmoreHouse is situated within a short distance of Castletown Conyers, and, bytaking a short cut across the fields, this distance might be reduced toa mile. Having spent the day at Castletown, I was returning to Rossmoreby the short cut, late in the evening--too late, indeed, as I had beenwarned, from the chance of meeting some of the prowlers who haunted theby-roads towards the small town. I had no fear, however, and though itwas after twelve o'clock, there was a beautiful full moon, which, as theold song says, "did shine as bright as day." I had got on a narrowby-road which ran between two bogs, and was speeding home with as littledelay as possible. All at once, I heard the dull heavy tramp of feet, ina measured tread, and thought that it probably was the police-patroltaking its rounds. As some of the police were quartered at my uncle's, Ientertained no apprehension on account of being found out of doors at anuntimely hour, as my person was known to these peace-preservers. Iwalked on, therefore, at my ease, loitering a little to allow myself tobe overtaken, in order that I might have an escort home.

  The party came up, and when I turned round to recognize and speak tothem, I was considerably alarmed to find that I was in the midst of alarge assemblage of rough-and-ready countrymen, wrapped up in large blue_coateens_, every man of them with a huge bludgeon in his hand. Knowingthat the best plan was to put as bold a front on it as I could, Iaccosted them with the usual "Good evening, boys." They did notcondescend to return the greeting, but gathered together in groups,conversing in Irish, which I did not understand--the acquisition of thatancient and sonorous language having been a neglected branch of myeducation. From their vehement action, their constant references tomyself by gesture, and the repetition of my name, I perceived that theyknew who I was, and were speaking about me. Under such circumstances, Ithought, with Falstaff, that the better part of valour was discretion,and I prepared to effect my escape from such unpleasant companionship,by slipping off as quietly as I could.

  The intention, however excellent, was not to be borne out in execution.Before I had taken fifty steps, I felt two or three large, rough, hairy,sinewy hands on the collar of my coat, and the cold muzzle of a pistolunder my left ear, with a threat, strengthened by a tremendous oath,that, if I dared move one inch farther, the contents of the pistolshould be lodged in my brain. I did not move, having a strong idea thatthe threat would be carried into execution,--not a remarkably pleasantanticipation for any one, far less for a lad of fourteen.

  After some delay, a man, who appeared to be a kind of leader, asked memy name, and whether I was not a nephew of "the old fellow at Rossmore."I said that I was. "Then," said he, "you are the cousin of that fineyoung lady whose swearing was the means of our Captain being sent acrossthe sea?" I answered that he was quite correct, and that I certainly wasthe lady's cousin. "Then," said he, "as we cannot lay hands on _her_,for she cut away to England when the trial was over, for fear of ourjust revenge, I think we must have _your_ blood instead." As I had avery strong objection to suffering, vicariously, even for a woman and acousin, I remonstrated against the design, alleging, truly enough, thatit was hard I should answer for any one's sins but my own; that thelady, as was well known, had given evidence against Captain Rock, undercompulsion; and that, after he was sentenced to death, she never resteduntil she had obtained a remission of the sentence of death passed uponhim.

  What I said evidently made an impression on my audience--on such, atleast, as knew English. To the rest it was duly interpreted; afterwhich, still leaving me in charge of the hirsute giant with the greatpistol, the party retired a little way to hold consultation respectingme. This I knew, because the rough gentleman, who held the pistol to myear, grew a little communicative, telling me that they had all been tothe fair of Bruree, where they had indulged pretty freely in strongliquors, and that he thought it likely, as they had made up their mindto take my life, that they were then only deliberating in what manner tocarry out their intention. "It is an easy death enough," said this Job'scomforter, "to be strangled by a handkerchief, squeezed round the throatto a proper tightness; it is as good a way as any other to put a maninto a deep bog-hole like that on the side of the road there; but," headded, "for doing the thing genteelly, and making sure of quick work andlittle pain, I certainly would prefer a pistol like this, with a decentcharge of canister powder, and a brace of bullets or a couple ofslugs at the top to make all right."

  The conference by the way-side lasted so long, that I grew heart-sickwith anxiety. I could see, by their unrestrained movements, that some ofthe party were disposed to wreak upon my person their revenge against mycousin, and that some were recommending a milder process. Presently, thedecision appeared to be made--whatever it might be. The same man who hadalready spoken to me, came up again, and with him the rest of thatprecious conclave. "My lad," said he, laying his hand upon my shoulder,"Do you know what we have made up our minds to do?" I answered, that Idid not know. "Some of us," said he, "think that, as you have met us tonight, and may know some of us again, the best thing we could do wouldbe to put you out of the way at once. And some of us thinks that if wetook your word, (though you're only a bit of a boy,) not to mention thatyou have seen us, we might do worse than let you go home, though thathome is the nest which _she_ came out of."

  I fancied, from his manner, that I had not much cause to apprehend themore deadly alternative; and, therefore, I answered, as boldly as Icould, that I was quite willing to give my word not to mention that Ihad seen any of them, nor, at any time or place, attempt to recognizethem. "While you are deciding," I added, "recollect that this suspensebetween life and death is not the most pleasant thing in the world.And, for God's sake," said I, "rather put this hairy gentleman's braceof bullets through my head at once, than leave me shivering another halfan hour in the cold." There was a laugh at what I said; those who didnot speak English eagerly required it to be translated for them, andthen the laugh grew louder, for _all_ enjoyed it. "Faith," said theleader, "You're a bold lad to jest in that way, with the muzzle of apistol against your ear. Make your mind easy; we would not hurt a hairof your head now. Go your way, and keep your promise. No matter when youmeet any of us, don't let on that you have ever seen us before. And ifyou should ever fall in with bad company, in a by-way, on a night likethis, just whisper '_Barry More_' into the ear of any of the party, andyou may pass through them as safely as if you were walking in adrawing-room." This said, I had to shake hands, one by one, with each ofthe party; and they further insisted, with a pertinacity which would notbrook denial, that half-a-dozen of them should escort me within astone's throw of my uncle's house.

  A few weeks after this rencontre, I saw a man at work in one of myuncle's fields, who seemed not quite a stranger to me. I took care thatthe recognition, if any, should come from him. Accordingly, though Imade the usual remark that it was a fine day, and asked some questionsas to the prospects of the crops, I did not seem as if I had ever seenhim before. However, he had less discretion, for he said, "That was anarrow escape you had, down by the bog, that night, sir." I asked whathe meant? "Oh!" said he, "I do not mind talking to you about it now, forwe have your word not to tell on us, and I know very well--for we havefriends in every house, who tell us what passes--that not even to youruncle did you say a word about what happened that night. We tried tofrighten you a bit, sir, but you stood up better than we expected. I hadmade up my mind, from the first, that not a hair of your head should betouched; bu
t it was not quite so easy to get the rest of the boys to myway of thinking. They had not the cause that I had for wishing youwell."

  I told him, what was the plain truth, that I had no recollection of anyparticular cause why _he_, more than any of the rest, should haveprotected me. "Ah, sir," said he, "people who do a kindness forget it,if the true vein be in them, sooner than those they do the kindness to.You may remember, sir, that about ten years ago, when you were a child,the Master here was very angry with me for having neglected my work, bywhich the Mistress's garden was quite spoilt, and turned me off, when Ihad not the chance of getting work anywhere else, and owed a quarter'srent for the little cabin and potatoe garden, and was entirely broke,hand and foot,--aye, and almost heart, too. At that time, sir, you wereto the fore, with the kind word, which you ever had, to turn away theMaster's anger, and you got the Mistress to interfere; and when theMaster took me on to work again, it was yourself, sir, that ran down tomy little cabin and told me the good news, and sat down at the table,with the children, without any pride, and eat the roasted potato and thesalt, and drank the butter-milk out of the same piggin with them. Fromthat hour, sir, if laying down the lives of me and mine would preventinjury to one hair of your head, we would have done it. And that's thereason why your life was safe the other night, and they all granted itwhen I told them the ins and outs of the story."

  I saw little more of my champion, for I left that part of the countrysoon after, and have not been there since.