152 A MEDLEY OF SPORT 



" Sure an' it's the grand readin' intoirely, and it's 

 the fine headpiece ould Pat Cinnamon the cow-docthor's 

 got on his shouldhers ! " exclaimed Denis, as he proudly 

 puzzled out the words, " That well-known and much- 

 respected sportsman, Mr Denis 0' Grady," from the con- 

 tents of the first bill, which he had posted somewhat 

 askew on a vacant panel of the local chapel notice- 

 board, adding : " An' sure all the people comin' to the 

 mission th' morrow night'U see that one anyway. 

 It'll go round the counthry like wildfire, for some iv 

 them'll come ten miles to hear that sooty, woolly-headed 

 ministher prachin' about the naygers." 



" An' there's a betther boord still at the parish 

 church, big enough for two iv them," said McLoughlin 

 enthusiastically, as he took up the pail to proceed in 

 that direction. He was restrained, however, by his 

 companion, who gave him to understand that the rector 

 was " the very divil agin racin'," and mightn't take it 

 well if they exhibited a bill in the church porch. 



It was late that evening when the weary, mud-and- 

 paste-bespattered bill-stickers walked into the tap- 

 room of the village hostelry to refresh themselves after 

 their day's labours ; and the church clock was booming 

 out the hour of ten when the worthy pair set out home- 

 wards, sailing along like a couple of ships tacking against 

 a stiff head-wind. 



The eventful day at length arrived, and Denis and 

 his rival were taken over the course by the Squire and 

 his cousin. Jack Despard, early in the morning, when the 



