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LIFE IN IRELAND 27 



withdrawn ; shortly after, he requested a punning 

 barrister to dine with him, observing, ' I shall only give 

 you cold beef, they have deprived me of the usual 

 allowance, and I don't know what I shall do.' — ' Do ! ' 

 said the punster, ' why as many of our patriots do ; eat 

 your beef without salary.'^ Captain Grammachree, in 

 repeating this story, forgot the very pith of it, and sub- 

 stituted for the conclusion, 'you must eat your beef 

 without cabbage ' ; of course no one could perceive the 

 joke, and not a smile appeared. ' I don't know why 

 you don't laugh,' said the Captain, ' but, by Jasus ! 

 every body laughed when I first heard it,' 



Barring these bulls, the Captain was a pleasant com- 

 panion ; he knew every officer of note ; his rank, time 

 of entering the service, etc. etc., by rote ; in fact he 

 was called amongst his brother officers ' The Walking 

 Army List'; but he had, what ought not to be for- 

 gotten in this enumeration of his qualities, a good and 

 a generous heart ; as the tear fell from his eye at the 

 tale of affliction, his hand involuntarily entered his 

 pocket to relieve the object. 



When merit own'd the sufferer's name, 



He shower'd his bounty then, 

 And those who could not prove that claim, 



He succour'd still as men. 



Poor Grammachree ! I have whiled away many a 

 happy hour in thy company ; may the laurels of thy 

 youth never be plucked from thy forehead in age, when 

 thou wilt most stand in need of their friendly shelter ! 

 The important share the Captain has in Life in 

 Ireland, must apologize for my being thus particular 

 as to his character. 



