his nose, which had got
damaged in the fray, and the process of wiping his face with his cuff
changed the white facings of his jacket to red. The negro cymbal-player
was the only one whose damages were not to be ascertained, as a black
eye would not tell on him, and his lips could not be more swollen than
nature had made them. On the procession went, however; but the rival
mob, the Eganites, profiting by the delay caused by the row, got ahead,
and entered the town first, with their pipers and fiddlers, hurrahing
their way in good humour down the street, and occupying the best places
in the court-house before the arrival of the opposite party, whose
band, instead of being a source of triumph, was only a thing of jeering
merriment to the Eganites, who received them with mockery and laughter.
All this by no means sweetened O'Grady's temper, who looked thunder as
he entered the court-house with his candidate, who was, though a
good-humoured fellow, a little put out by the accidents of the morning;
and Furlong looked more sheepish than ever, as he followed his leaders.

The business of the day was opened by the high-sheriff, and Major Dawson
lost no time in rising to propose, that Edward Egan, Esquire, of
Merryvale, was a fit and proper person to represent the county in
parliament.

The proposition was received with cheers by "the boys" in the body of
the court-house; the Major proceeded, full sail, in his speech--his
course aided by being on the popular current, and the "sweet voices" of
the multitude blowing in his favour. On concluding (as "the boys"
thought) his address, which was straightforward and to the point, a
voice in the crowd proposed "Three cheers for the owld Major." Three
deafening peals followed the hint.

"And now," said the Major, "I will read a few extracts here from some
documents, in support of what I have had the honour of addressing to
you." And he pulled out a bundle of papers as he spoke, and laid them
down before him.

The movement was not favoured by "the boys," as it indicated a tedious
reference to facts by no means to their taste, and the same voice that
suggested the three cheers, now sung out--

"Never mind, Major--sure we'll take your word for it!"

Cries of "Order!" and "Silence!" ensued; and were followed by murmurs,
coughs, and sneezes, in the crowd, with a considerable shuffling of
hobnailed shoes on the pavement.

"Order!" cried a voice in authority.

"Order anything you plaz