round of ball cartridge would cool their courage," said O'Grady.

The English officer in command of the party, looking with wonder and
reproach upon him, asked if _he_ had the command of the party.

"No, sir;--the sheriff, of course;--but if I were in his place, I'd
soon disperse the rascals."

"Did you ever witness the _effect_ of a fusilade, sir?" inquired
the officer.

"No, sir," said O'Grady, gruffly; "but I suppose I know pretty well
what it is."

"For the sake of humanity, sir, I hope you do not, or I am willing to
believe you would not talk so lightly of it; but it is singular how
much fonder civilians are of urging measures that end in blood, than
those whose profession is arms, and who know how disastrous is their
use."

The police were ordered to advance again and seize the "ringleaders:"
they obeyed unwillingly; but being saluted with some stones, their
individual wrath was excited, and they advanced to chastise the mob,
who again drove them back; and a nearer approach to the soldiers was
made by the crowd in the scuffle which ensued.

"Now, will you fire?" said O'Grady to the sheriff.

The sheriff, who was a miserable coward, was filled with dread at the
threatening aspect of the mob, and wished to have his precious person
under shelter before hostilities commenced; so, with pallid lips, and
his teeth chattering with fear, he exclaimed:--

"No! no! no!--don't fire--don't fire--don't be precipitate: besides, I
haven't read the Riot Act."

"There's no necessity for firing, I should say," said the captain.

"I thought not, captain--I hope not, captain," said the sheriff, who now
assumed a humane tone. "Think of the effusion of blood, my dear sir,"
said he to O'Grady, who was grinning like a fiend all the time--"the
sacrifice of human life--I couldn't, sir--I can't, sir--besides, the
Riot Act--haven't it about me--must be read, you know, Mister O'Grady."

"Not always," said O'Grady, fiercely.

"But the inquiry is always very strict after, if it is not, sir--I
should not like the effusion of human blood, sir, unless the Riot Act
was read, and the thing done regularly,--don't think I care for the
d----d rascals a button, sir,--only the regularity, you know; and the
effusion of human blood is serious, and the inquiry, too, without the
Riot Act. Captain, would you oblige me to fall back a little closer
round the court-house, and maintain the freedom of election? Besides,
the Riot Act is up-stairs in