290 THE FALLS OF BALLYSHANNON. 



and plenty of kindness, and by and bye he 

 will wear his long-tailed coat with the best 

 of them." 



" All very fine talking," said the Squire, 

 "but who is to do this with the House of 

 Commons staring him in the face ? " 



" Ah ! who ?" said the Parson. " Strafford 

 did once. He did administer 'justice to 

 Ireland ; ' he was the only governor they 

 ever had, who had at once the head to un- 

 derstand and the heart to execute. Hallam 

 says, 'he oppressed the oppressors, and de- 

 livered the Irish from themselves.' " 



" Ay," said the Captain, " once delivered 

 from those scoundrels, there is no reason 

 why Ireland is not to do as well as her 

 neighbours." 



"Why not Ireland as well as Scotland?" 

 said the Barrister. "They only want one 

 master - hand to grapple with their own 

 abuses, and one dauntless heart to do right 

 in the face of public opinion." 



" Only ?" said the Parson. " Why, they 

 never had but one such in their whole his- 

 tory, and he lost his head for it. It is no 

 fault of Paddy's ; deprived of his natural 

 leaders before he is wise enough or old 



