294 MEMOIR OF HENNESSEY. 



CHAPTER XLI. 



Dull evening Memoir of Hennessey. 



WE sat down to dinner tte-a-tete, and although both my- 

 self and my kinsman made an exertion to banish unpleasant 

 reminiscences, the evening was the most sombre that I had 

 yet passed. The happy party who once tenanted our " merrie 

 home," are never to meet again. The otter-killer " sleeps 

 the sleep that knows no breaking" the Colonel has retired 

 to his winter quarters the Priest's confessions call him from 

 us for a season and some secret intelligence which reached 

 the Lodge over night, has caused Hennessey to disappear. 



To gratify a strong expression of curiosity on my part 

 respecting the latter, my cousin told me the following parti- 

 culars of this singular personage : 



" If ever man came into the world with the organ of 

 destructiveness surcharged, it was my unhappy foster-brother. 

 He was a lively and daring boy, and being a favourite with 

 my late father, had opportunities of improvement afforded to 

 him, which persons in his sphere seldom can obtain. But 

 Hennessey showed little inclination for literary pursuits, the 

 gun was more adapted to him than the pen and at fifteen, 

 when but a very indifferent scribe, he was admitted by the 

 whole population to be the best shot of his years that ' ever 

 laid stock to shoulder/ Encouraged by my father's par- 

 tiality, from this period he led an idle careless life, and ram- 

 bled over the country, breaking dogs, or amusing himself 

 with the gun and fishing-rod. 



" I was at the college when the first of his misfortunes 

 occurred. He had imprudently ventured into a dancing- 

 house, where a number of the Sweenies were assembled, with 

 whom he had previously been at feud, and, as might have 

 been anticipated, a quarrel quickly arose. Hennessey, too 

 late, perceived his danger ; but with that daring determina- 

 tion for which he has ever been remarkable, when the assault 

 began, he made a sudden dash for the door, and overturning 

 all that opposed him, succeeded in escaping. He was, how- 

 ever, closely pursued. From his uncommon activity, he far 

 outstripped all but one of his enemies. He had nearly reached 



