AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 387 



followed in the street, and in the midst of the hubbub 

 a policeman appeared on the scene. The organ grinder 

 charged Drislane with assault and battery, also with 

 destroying his organ and injuring the monkey. " Ton 

 my word, there's my luck agin," exclaimed poor 

 " Paddy," who by this time felt that all the evil spirits 

 were conspiring against him. The sequel was that 

 Drislane was taken before the magistrates and mulcted 

 in a fine and costs. He was also summoned for " wilful 

 damage " to the shopkeeper's plate glass, and mulcted 

 in the value of the breakage — no inconsiderable sum. 

 " 'Pon my word," Drislane would say, as he used to 

 relate this story in his own sardonic way, " that was a 

 great day for me ! " 



On one occasion, in the early nineties, during the 

 feverish height of the agitation for Home Rule in 

 Ireland, an Irish poKtical open-air meeting was held 

 at Leyburn. The Right Honourable James Lowther, a 

 member of the then existing Conservative Government, 

 which was in dead opposition to the agitation led by 

 Gladstone, happened to be in Leyburn that day, as was 

 also " Paddy " Drislane, who was running Our Bessie, 

 a rather useful mare, and winning races with her at 

 the period. One of the speakers on the platform was 

 thundering against the tyrannous Saxons, and the 

 bloodthirsty Government, with most approved Milesian 

 eloquence. Drislane's Irish blood was aroused; he 

 cheered the speaker at the top of his lungs. In the 

 midst of his wildest " hurroo," " Paddy " received a 

 gentle tap on the shoulder from Mr. Lowther, who 

 had been standing behind the old trainer enjoying his 

 enthusiasm. " This is not our Bessie's ' form,' you know, 

 Drislane," was the gentle and good-humoured sally of 

 the right honourable gentleman. "'Pon my word," 



