28o WILD SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



woman : " while the gallant usually demurs to the 

 " amende honor able y" until the '* consideration " for 

 doing the same is propounded and guaranteed. Now 

 it is that the priest engages deeply in the negotiation. 

 He assumes the first place in the corps diplomatique, 

 and becomes prime minister. In the conduct of the 

 affair, no doubt, himself is interested ; he is anxious 

 to effect hymeneals, for hence arises his principal revenue, 

 and matrimony is the best feather in his wing — and, 

 independent of the nuptial fee, contingent christenings 

 and increased house-money* are in prospective. But 

 the lover has it all his own way. A week's residence 

 in the mountains has perilled the lady's reputation 

 beyond recovery ; as she has gotten a blast, her matri- 

 monial market is spoiled, and nothing remains but an 

 amicable arrangement. Terms are accordingly made — 

 the parties become one flesh — ^the priest is considered 

 for his great and valuable services by " both the houses," 

 and ** one raal rookawn of a runaway match " is better 

 to his reverence than thrice the number of weddings 

 perpetrated by general consent. 



This milder class of abduction is, unfortunately, not 

 the only one ; girls having property, or who are likely 

 to possess it, are oftentimes forcibly carried off. 

 Secreted in the mountains, they are not easily recover- 

 able by their friends, and left at the mercy of the ruffian 

 and his confederates, they are at last obliged to become 

 the legal property of the despoiler. As the abductor 

 is generally some idle, dissipated blackguard, the fate 



* The revenues of the Roman Catholic clergy are derived from 

 certain fees payable for marriages and christenings, with an annual 

 tax of two shillings upon every house in the parish. These, with 

 Christmas and Easter offerings, presents, and legacies, amount, in 

 populous parishes, to a very considerable sum. 



