The Dead Boxer / The Works of William Carleton, Volume Two

try. With a wild luxury of triumph they seized O'Rorke, placed him on their shoulders, and bore him in triumph through every street in the town. All kinds of mad bu

oups of his townsmen belonging to both factions, who on that occ

tight, put his body in the coffin that had been intended for Lamh Laudher, and without any scruple, took it up, and went in procession with

me. With a fresh volley of shouts and hurras they proceeded, still bearing him in triumph towards his father's house, where they left

ave the Lamh Laudher blood in me still. Mother, yo

him, "my noble boy! There never was one of yo

y to her heart; and all his relations were as prof

s, "what will become of his wife? John dear,

," exclaimed the father; "t

was both, and she ought to be thankful that she's rid of him. But yo

hey were all mute

n how, John?" they in

' afther gettin' into one of the little fir groves off the road, he made a stab at my neck, as I stooped to tie my shoe that happened to be loose. As God would have it, he only tore the skin above my forehead. I pursued the villain on the spot, but he disa

the circumstance, but as it had failed, his triumph over the Dead Boxer, as unexpected as it was complete, soon superseded it, and many a health was given "to the best man that ever sprung from the blood of the Lamh Laudhers!" for so they termed him, and we

e she was in the habit of meeting her private friends. The preparations, however, for the approaching fight, and the tumult it excited in the town, afforded her an opportunity of giving her spies the slip. She went, on the evening before the battle, to a small

"but I'll,lay my life that Lamh Laudher bates the black. In that case he

ed the black dog for five years, and a more infernal tyrant never existed, nor a milder or more ami

' orth, don't make my blood boil by speaking a word in her favor. If Lamh Laudher comes off best, all I've

r than soot, and black

as ready, the other night, to murdher the mild innocent wo

ng away her life, although I believe my worthy comrade here in the red ha

e scruple!" s

m either knowing her old servant or making a noise,-but d-- it, I w

ime," observed Nell; "but if he hasn't more spunk

what s to be done, life or purse

"by the night above us,

d Nanse; "aunt, you're to

die till I'd put sharp sorrow into Lamh Laudher's sowl. I punished him

ant to be done inq

I'll tell you

a little partition which divided the kitchen from t

rin' for the fight, to slip away as well disguised as we can, out of the place; by that time you'll have y

of this secret?

as you think. I wouldn't take the wide world an' shed blood wid my own hands. I tried it once on Lamh

thers to do it, if y

rone. "I could wither any man, woman, or child,

er young Lamh Laudh

ey won't-but I say if they do-you'll see he'll go home in the coffin that's made for

for Nell had recommended them to keep as much asunder as possible, least their grouping together might

, and Nanse McCollum, were sitting in deliberation upon their f

starting up-"what

dagger slightly s

d fury, "but you've failed-an' a

active fellow had got me in his hands, I'd have tasted the fu

exclaimed Nell, grinding her teeth with disappointment

e money," s

umin' to the penny;

Ay, an' I must have it before I lave this house, an' wha

," said Rody; "it was Nell

minnit," said the man, "or I bid you

ody; "if Nell shares it

n the price of a rop

the fellow, "an' you'l

ort attempted to free himself. The three were now upon him, and would have easily succeeded in preventing his escape had it not occurred to him that by one blow he might secure the whole sum. This w

k followed, as she st

med, "staunch the blood, an' th

of constables entered the house. Nell's face became at once ghastly and horror-stricken, for she f

ore. God's hand is in what has happened! Ay, I raised the blow for him, an' God has sent it to my

or two other friends, immediately hurried to the scene of deat

now a bluish yellow, her eye-brows were b

you brought me from the right way. I was innocent till I met you,

e red-haired stranger, "til

, you unfortunate

d the man, "although I didn

y Hart! Andy Hart! stand over before me. Andy Hart! It is his father's voice. Oh

nal, trembling, and getting as pale as death; "there is-th

any where over the world. Blessed mother of heaven!-down on your knees, you miserable

led himself about, tore his hair, and displayed every symptom of a man in a paroxysm of madness. But among those present, with the exception of the mother and son, there wa

. You lost a daughter long ago. Open your arms and take her back a blameless woman. She's your child that

re this denouement, had, indeed, rekindled the mysterious flame of her own affection in their hearts. The father pressed her to his bosom, and

word you said, Alice darling, went into our hearts wid delight, an' we could hardly ever think of your voice ever

them, and to her brother also, from the moment she heard th

Laudher Oge, "account for

now directed to Ne

long with her marriage certificate, an' the gospel she had about her neck, when I kidnapped her, all in my pocket. Where's my son? Still,

groups then present; nor a more impressive exemplification of the interpositio

uined. You disfigured my face in your anger too; that an' your preventing my marriage, an' my character bein' lost, whin it was known what he refus

replied the old man; "but, Nell, ax God's, for

, appeared to

mine, avick?" said s

her, I didn't, as I'm to stand before

he, forgetting herself

conclude the sentence, and thus clos

family now returned home, where they found Meehaul Neil awaiting their arrival, for the purpose of offering his sister's hand and dowry to our hero. This offer, we need scarcely say, was accepted with no sullen spirit. But Lamh Laudher was not so much her inferior in wealth as our readers may suppose. His affectionate sister divided her money b