92 SPORTING REMINISCENCES 



and after wild whistlings and shrieks the porter 

 came breathlessly pounding at the door to ask if 

 the Colonel was ready for they could not howld 

 the mail much longer, an' as it was divil a lether 

 they'd have in Dublin the next day. He had to 

 fly back to explain that my father had forgotten 

 all about it. 



" Let her off. Give her the bell," is a common 

 expression as they are starting. 



They had a very old porter at Dromkeen in 

 the days of the Waterford and Limerick, whom 

 they moved to Boher. Dromkeen was all he had 

 ever known. When his first train came in to 

 Boher he wandered up and down desolately ringing 

 his bell and singing out " Dromkeen, Drhrom- 

 keen. . ." 



" Boher," shrieked an irate station-master. 



" Boher I mean, Boher I mean," without any 

 change of voice, then looking peevishly at his 

 superior. " An' sure isn't it all akel whin there's 

 none of them gettin' out." 



The good humour of the porters when a race 

 crowd or excursion floods the carriages would make 

 English porters stare. 



" Out of that, third class, ye are. Akil is it. 

 Out now, let ye very well go, I tell ye there's a 

 fine on it." An', " Young man, is this the Caher 

 thrain ? Does that same go to Limerick ? God 

 save us, is this the Cork an' I for Pallas ? Wouldn't 

 she carry me around — ^if I sthayed in her." 



