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The town of Cahir, (pronounced Care) is beautifully situated on the east bank of the river Suire, whose rapid waters, passing under a handsome stone bridge, which unites the main road from Dublin to Cork, as well as that from Waterford to Limerick, divides the picturesque demesne of the Earl of Glengall; and, after skirting many a hanging wood, valley green, princely seat, and venerable pile, unites with the unruffled Nore, and gentler Barrow, in forming the spacious bay and harbour of Waterford.

The faint image of a vatery moon was reflected in the stream, as the tired and dejected cornet followed the creeping baggage carts across the bridge, insensible to any thing but fatigue. What though the old and ivy-covered castle, once the residence of that branch of the Butler family to whom the town of Cahir gave the title of baron, frowned in all the dignity of midnight shadow upon his left; what though the scattered ruins of Cahir Abbey gleamed in the misty moonlight upon the opposite bank, and the castellated Bridewell stood high in the distance, the exhausted cornet needed not their beauties. Castle, stream, and tower, were all alike to him uninteresting; and the first objects which produced a satisfactory exclamation from his lips were the high stone wall and accompanying gates, which denoted the entrance to the cavalry barrack,

A good night's rest, however, completely restored our hero to his usual cheerfulness; and after his barrack-room had been washed, his bed set up, and the mess established, he began to think that Cahir might prove a tolerable quarter.

The cornet's letters of introduction in the neighbourhood also served to confirm this opinion, as they began to take effect. The first symptom of this appeared in the shape of a large gilt-edged card from Mr. and Mrs. Macraith, of Galtee Lodge, who requested that the cornet would honour them

with his company to dinner, at a small family party. With this invitation the

a cornet readily complied; and Breakpeace having been invited for the same day, Mr. Doulahan, of the head inn, was ordered to provide one of his best Travellers for the occasion. It should be premised, that the carriages called Travellers, then used by the Cahir gentry, were miniature coaches, on two wheels, drawn by one horse; the body of the Traveller was painted similarly to the larger conveyance, of which it was an humble imitation, and from having a mock door and real handle on each side, presented an appearance of the entrance being similarly situated to that of a coach; but this appearance was altogether deceptive, for the real entrance to the Traveller was from the back, and more than one stranger to its construction has narrowly escaped a somerset by the sudden opening of the door at a part against which he leaned, with unthinking confidence. Galtee Lodge being five Irish miles from Cahir, and the road none of the best, Mr. Doulahan was cautioned to have the Traveller at Breakpeace's quarters precisely at five o'clock, and soon after that hour the captain and cornet took their seats, and were driven out of the barrack yard at a pace which gave promise of a rapid journey; but scarcely had they gained the Clogheen road, and turning to the right, were proceeding along the wall of Kilcommon Park,

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when their charioteer suddenly reduced the pace of his steed; and although the rising ground was scarcely perceptible, left the driving-seat, and commenced walking by the horse's side. Breakpeace did not at all understand this manæuvre, and putting his head out of the window, inquired of the driver with some warmth, “what he meant by leaving his box, and going at so slow a rate ?"

“ Why then," said Pat, with evident commiseration for the ignorance which prompted such an inquiry, “ isn't it aisin' the baste up the hill I am, and keepin' the throt for the avenue ?"

This twofold consideration, both for the feelings of the horse and his burthen, was too original not to excite the laughter of both passengers, and for some time Pat's walk was uninterrupted; but the little ascent having been surmounted, both captain and cornet agreed that the anticipation of a trot in the avenue, could not compensate for the snail's pace at which they were now going; and, hallooing to the driver, who, with the most perfect indifference to his charge, was seen leaning with both elbows on a low stone wall, fronting the cabin of a friend, who had just appeared to enjoy a passing gossip with Pat, they insisted upon his resuming his seat, and anticipating the avenue trot by at once commencing upon it.

“Ah! then, gintlemin," cried Pat, in a supplicating tone, “be said by me, an' don't yees press the baste now; an' let us go up to the house ilegant.” “Drive on, and be hanged to you !" said Breakpeace.

, 6 What's that, captain ?" replied Pat, who dropped the reins he had just resumed, and came to the window with an affectation of not having heard what was so loudly addressed to him.

* Get up, Sir, and drive on, or I shall take the reins Oh, very well

, captain, if you won't be said by

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me:" and Pat finding his argument unavailing, at length mounted the driving-seat, and commenced operating upon the croup of Mr. Doulahan's thin-sided mare, with the but-end of a whip, which appeared to have formerly made part of a flail handle.

This operation was well known to the mare as indicative of Pat's wishes for the increase of her pace,

and accordingly her stiffened joints were put into more active motion, which was now aided by a descent in the road, which, turning to the left, led towards the river.

Here new difficulties awaited the travellers, for of the three ways by which Galtee Lodge could be apa proached, namely, that by the bridge of Cahir, the ford immediately opposite the house, and that at the brink of which they had arrived, the latter was decidedly the worst; in fact, Kilcommon ford was scarcely ever attempted except by horsemen, and by them only in the dryest weather; for the depth of the Suire at this place, and a rocky and uneven bottom, added to the natural rapidity of the river, rendered the passage extremely dangerous; the approach from the barracks to the lodge, however, by this road, was shorter than by any of the others, and Pat had selected it in pure consideration for the old mare's interest, never calculating upon the flood in the river, and the probable consequence of the mare's being out of her depth in the middle of the stream.

The cornet eyed the muddy froth of the stream with no very pleasurable sensations, when Pat checking the old mare's attempt to get a mouthful of water, applied the flail handle between her eyes, and encouraged her to advance. Breakpeace also, who, though a deter. mined piscator, and a fellow who would walk up to his waistcoat pockets in water to ensure the rise of a trout, felt no ambition to be carried down the Suire in a Cahir Traveller, and calling to Pat, asked with some anxiety," whether he was sure that the river was fordable ?

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“Och, never fear, captain, but I'll take yees as dry as a turf," was the confident reply of the driver.

“ By G-d it must be a wet turf then," said Breakpeace, as the old mare stumbled among the rocks, and the crazy Traveller rolling to one side, splashed the water in at the open window. “ Another such a lurch,” said Breakpeace, “and we

a shall have a regular shower bath of it,” and pulling up the window, he began to rub the wet off his new aiguillette.

Not much time, however, was allowed the captain for burnishing his silver lace; for scarcely had he made one application of his silk handkerchief to the damaged ornament, when his operation was interrupted by the cornet's “holloa!" and the rapid entrance of water in the rear of the vehicle soon showed him the well-founded cause of his subaltern's ejaculation. Up went the fixed spurs and well-polished boots on the cushions, but not before the cornet, whose presence of mind was not equal to that of his captain, had suffered the lustre of his blacking to be considerably dimmed by the presence of the invading stream.

The machine was now literally afloat, and the old mare, alternately swimming and scrambling, made violent efforts to resist the wilfulness of the torrent, which seemed determined to carry in its course every thing that had temerity enough to resist its current ; but notwithstanding the exertions of the mare, the loud encouragement of Pat, and his repeated application of the flail-handled whip, the stream was victorious, and the old mare was borne off her legs, and, together with her load, was hurried down the river at the rate of at least ten knots an hour. Luckily Pat mustered courage enough to keep his seat, and also the reins, which supporting the mare's head above the water, enabled her to swim with the current. The rectangular position which the inside passengers had assumed, preserved their finery from further wet; and although in

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