l in a very different kind of
tone--the word was deaghblasda, or sweet tasted. Some time after the
operation, whilst the cob was yet under his hands, the fellow--who was
what the Irish call a fairy smith--had done all he could to soothe the
creature, and had at last succeeded by giving it gingerbread-buttons, of
which the cob became passionately fond. Invariably, however, before
giving it a button, he said, "Deaghblasda," with which word the cob by
degrees associated an idea of unmixed enjoyment: so if he could rouse the
cob to madness by the word which recalled the torture to its remembrance,
he could as easily soothe it by the other word, which the cob knew would
be instantly followed by the button, which the smith never failed to give
him after using the word deaghblasda.'

'There is nothing wonderful to be done,' said the jockey, 'without a good
deal of preparation, as I know myself. Folks stare and wonder at certain
things which they would only laugh at if they knew how they were done;
and to prove what I say is true, I will give you one or two examples.
Can either of you lend me a handkerchief? That won't do,' said he, as I
presented him with a silk one. 'I wish for a delicate white
handkerchief. That's just the kind of thing,' said he, as the Hungarian
offered him a fine white cambric handkerchief, beautifully worked with
gold at the hems; 'now you shall see me set this handkerchief on fire.'
'Don't let him do so by any means,' said the Hungarian, speaking to me in
German, 'it is the gift of a lady whom I highly admire, and I would not
have it burnt for the world.' 'He has no occasion to be under any
apprehension,' said the jockey, after I had interpreted to him what the
Hungarian had said, 'I will restore it to him uninjured, or my name is
not Jack Dale.' Then sticking the handkerchief carelessly into the left
side of his bosom, he took the candle, which by this time had burnt very
low, and holding his head back, he applied the flame to the handkerchief,
which instantly seemed to catch fire. 'What do you think of that?' said
he to the Hungarian. 'Why, that you have ruined me,' said the latter.
'No harm done, I assure you,' said the jockey, who presently, clapping
his hand on his bosom, extinguished the fire, and returned the
handkerchief to the Hungarian, asking him if it was burnt. 'I see no
burn upon it,' said the Hungarian; 'but in the name of Gott how could you
set it on fire without burning it?'