f his inches
in England, reading was not among his accomplishments. "I tell you what,
Doctor," said he, "---- you! have no bantering with me,--for I'm not the
man that will bear it, ---- me!" and he threw a tremendous swaggering look
across the table.

"I want you to learn to read, Tommy dear. Look at your mother there over
her books: she keeps them as neat as a scrivener now, and at twenty she
could make never a stroke."

"Your godfather speaks for your good, child; and for me, thou knowest
that I have promised thee a gold-headed cane and periwig on the first
day that thou canst read me a column of the Flying Post."

"Hang the periwig!" said Mr. Tom, testily. "Let my godfather read the
paper himself, if he has a liking for it."

Whereupon the old gentleman put on his spectacles, and glanced over
the sheet of whity-brown paper, which, ornamented with a picture of
a gallows at the top, contained the biographies of the seven unlucky
individuals who had that morning suffered the penalty of the law. With
the six heroes who came first in the list we have nothing to do; but
have before us a copy of the paper containing the life of No. 7, and
which the Doctor read in an audible voice.

"CAPTAIN MACSHANE.

"The seventh victim to his own crimes was the famous highwayman, Captain
Macshane, so well known as the Irish Fire-eater.

"The Captain came to the ground in a fine white lawn shirt and nightcap;
and, being a Papist in his religion, was attended by Father O'Flaherty,
Popish priest, and chaplain to the Bavarian Envoy.

"Captain Macshane was born of respectable parents, in the town of
Clonakilty, in Ireland, being descended from most of the kings in that
country. He had the honour of serving their Majesties King William
and Queen Mary, and Her Majesty Queen Anne, in Flanders and Spain, and
obtained much credit from my Lords Marlborough and Peterborough for his
valour.

"But being placed on half-pay at the end of the war, Ensign Macshane
took to evil courses; and, frequenting the bagnios and dice-houses, was
speedily brought to ruin.

"Being at this pass, he fell in with the notorious Captain Wood, and
they two together committed many atrocious robberies in the inland
counties; but these being too hot to hold them, they went into the west,
where they were unknown. Here, however, the day of retribution arrived;
for, having stolen three pewter-pots from a public-house, they, under
false names, wer