ady of
Guadalupe; a chapel was built, and this Virgin was finally promoted to be
patroness of Mexico. Her complexion being of a brown colour, she was
considered to watch more particularly over the aborigines.

When Hidalgo, after raising the standard of revolt, was excommunicated by
the archbishop, and in danger of being abandoned by his followers, he had
the fortunate idea of placing himself and his army under the guardianship
of the Virgin of Guadalupe. An enormous banner was got ready, with a
painting of that Virgin upon it; she was declared field-marshal and
general-in-chief, pay allotted, and obedience sworn to her. She held her
appointment for fourteen years--till 1824.

[20] White and blue were the colours of the ancient Mexicans and of the
patriots. The Spaniards adopted them for the clothing of their
executioners.

[21] The blue cloak was worn by the nobility, the brown by the lower and
middling classes in Spain and Mexico.

[22] _Curly_--diminutive of Cornelius.

[23] The commencement of a common Irish benediction, _God and Mary and St
Patrick be with (or bless) you!_

[24] A man concealing himself on arrest for debt is, in Ireland,
familiarly said to be _on his keeping_, probably from his keeping or
confining himself to the house when there is danger of the writ being
executed.

[25] Abbrev. for Larry or Laurence.

[26] The length of a spade's-handle of ground. _Over a man's
head_--i.e.--out-bidding the tenant in possession, by offering generally a
larger rent for the land out of which he is about to be ejected.

[27] _Spell_--very short space of time, as long as it would take to spell
a word.

[28] An achievement similar to that here described actually took place
about the same period nearly on the same spot. It was planned and executed
by two persons living at a town mentioned in the tale, and terminated in
the instant death of the unlucky highwayman, whose body they placed in
their vehicle, and brought back with them in an hour or two from the time
they set out. In the present day, such a deed (thus premeditated) would be
deservedly termed a rash and cruel act--the lawless and unprotected state
of that country, however, at the time, led it to be considered--we
believe--a laudable one.

[29] _Revelations of Spain._ By an ENGLISH RESIDENT.

[30] The Monk, too, has this characteristic, which is of dubious
exposition. Tyrwhitt thinks that the meaning _may be_--"Eyes sunk deep in
the head." Cert