SOME IRISH CUSTOMS 227 



*' Ah, music," he said, " talking of music, I have 

 a little whistling mare that Your Excellency ought 

 to buy. I ran her at Rathkeale last October, with 

 top weight, giving two stone to the winner, and 

 she was only beat on the post by the black of Your 

 Excellency's thumbnail." 



Most people looked round taking a sudden 

 interest in the finding of a fox, and the viceroy 

 wondered no longer. 



I remember our local paper, determined to be 

 military, reported that His Excellency appeared at 

 a meet of the hounds, riding a magnificent chest- 

 nut " charger." 



I also remember a conversation between two 

 farmers who saw him take a fall. 



" His lordship the King went into the big ditch 

 behind there, an' he ridin' great." 



" Did ye delay to pull him out, Patsy ? " 



" Meself is it ? What was the chap with the 

 belt at the meet for but to peel it off so that it 

 could be cot howld of. Why would I be obthrudin' 

 meself?" 



