26 LIFE IN IRELAND 



dear to every soldier (notwithstanding he kept an 

 extravagant Clark who bamboozled him) rewarded him 

 with a Captain's commission and a pension, which he 

 had so dearly earned. 



Captain Grammachree's finances were thus in a 

 pretty flourishing state. If he could not always afford to 

 dine at Mooren's in Sackville Street, he could always com- 

 mand a good beef steak at Pat Duignan's, the Stmggkr, 

 and a naggin of good stalrinky punch. He kept his 

 pad and a very pretty bedside-carpet ; lodged contiguous 

 to Crow Street Theatre in winter, and in summer put 

 up at Mrs. Coogan's of Ringsend, for the benefit of sea- 

 bathing, and living upon crabs and cockles^ which are 

 as plentiful and cheap in that place, as materials for 

 making apples and goat's whey are at Dandrum. 



The Captain, by his moderate way of living in 

 private, always appeared genteel in public ; he was 

 admitted into the first societies ; his rank and character 

 entitled him to respect ; and he received it, not as a 

 compliment or favour bestowed, but as a tribute he 

 knew to be justly due and which he had no cause to 

 blush at receiving. 



His manners were unpolished, but he was always in 

 a good humour with himself and all around him ; more- 

 over he was an Irish wit, said many good things, at 

 least his brogue and manner of delivery created a laugh, 

 when there was really nothing in the story worth a smile. 

 He often committed blunders, and as his memory was 

 none of the best, he often spoiled a good thing by 

 repetition ; take the following instance : — 



The Major of a northern city had an allowance for 

 a table on a very handsome scale, which was suddenly 



