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"A very proper precaution, Mrs. Fay," said the doctor, with imperturbable gravity.

66 That villanous smoke is choking me," said Jack Horan.

"Better that, sir, than have a pestilence in the house," said Growling. "I'll leave the place," said Jack Horan.

"And I, too," said Doyle.

"And I," said Reddy" 'tis disgusting to a sensitive mind." "Gentlemen!" said Murphy, shutting the door, "you must not quit the house. I must have an inquest on the body."

"An inquest!" they all exclaimed.

"Yes-an inquest."

"But there's no coroner here," said Reddy. "No matter for that," said Murphy. county, can preside at this inquiry.

"I, as the under-sheriff of the Gentlemen, take your places ;

bring in more light, Mrs. Fay. Stand round the bed, gentlemen." "Not too close," said the doctor. "Mrs. Fay, bring more vinegar." Mrs. Fay had additional candles and more vinegar introduced, and the drunken fellows were standing as straight as they could, each with a candle in his hand, round the still prostrate M'Garry.

Murphy then opened on them with a speech, and called in every one in the house to ask did they know any thing about the matter; and it was not long before it was spread all over the town that Squire O'Grady had killed M'Garry, and that the coroner's inquest brought in a verdict of murder, and that the Squire was going to be sent to jail.

This almost incredible humbug of Murphy's had gone on for nearly half an hour, when the cold arising from his want of clothes, and the riot about him, and the fumes of the vinegar, roused M'Garry, who turned on the bed and opened his eyes. There he saw a parcel of people standing round him, with candles in their hands, and countenances of drunken wonder and horror. He uttered a hollow groan and cried,

"Save us and keep us! where am I ?"

"Retire, gentlemen!" said the doctor, waving his hand authoritatively; "retire—all but the under-sheriff."

Murphy cleared the room, and shut the door, while M'Garry still kept exclaiming,-"Save us and keep us! Where am I? What's this? O Lord!"

"You're dead!" says Murphy, "and the coroner's inquest has just sat on you!"

"Dead !" cried M'Garry, with a horrified stare.

"Dead!" repeated the doctor solemnly.

"Are not you Doctor Growling ?"

"You see the effect, Mr. Murphy," said the doctor, not noticing M'Garry's question-" you see the effect of the process.

"Wonderful!" said Murphy.

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"Preserve us!" cried the bewildered apothecary. "How could I know you, if I was dead, doctor?

dead!"

"As a herring," said the doctor.

Oh! doctor dear, sure I am not

"Lord have mercy on me !-Oh, Mister Murphy, sure I'm not dead."

"You're dead, sir,” said Murphy; "the doctor has only galvanised you for a few moments."

"O Lord!" groaned M'Garry.

"Doctor—indeed, doctor?"

"You are in a state of temporary animation," said the doctor.

"I do feel very odd, indeed," said the terrified man, putting his hands to his throbbing temples. "How long am I dead?"

"A week next Tuesday," said the doctor. "Galvanism has preserved you from decomposition."

M'Garry uttered a heavy groan, and looked up piteously at his two tormentors. Murphy, fearful the shock might drive him out of his mind, said, "Perhaps, doctor, you can preserve his life altogether; you have kept him alive so long."

"I'll try," said Growling ;

"hand me that tumbler."

Murphy handed him a tumbler full of water, and the doctor gave it to M'Garry, and desired him to try and drink it ;—he put it to his lips, and swallowed a little drop.

"Can you taste it?" asked the doctor.

"Isn't it water?" said M'Garry.

"You see how dull the nerves are yet," said Growling to Murphy; "that's aquafortis and assafœtida, and he can't taste it; we must give him another touch of the battery. Hold him up while I go into the next room and immerse the plates."

The doctor left the bed-room, and came back with a hot poker, and some lemon-juice and water.

"Turn him gently round," said he to Murphy, "while I conduct the wires."

His order was obeyed; and giving M'Garry a touch of the hot poker, the apothecary roared like a bull.

"That did him good!" said Growling. 66 Now try, can you taste anything" and he gave him the lemon-juice and water.

"I taste a slight acid, doctor dear!" said M'Garry, hopefully. "You see what that last touch did," said Growling, gravely;

the palate is still feeble; that's nearly pure nitric."

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Oh, dear!" said M'Garry, " is it nitric?”

"but

"You see his hearing is coming back too," said the doctor to Murphy; "try, can he put his legs under him."

They raised the apothecary from the bed; and when he staggered and fell forward, he looked horrified- "Oh dear, I can't walk.-I'm afraid I amm-I am no more!"

"Don't despair," said the doctor; "I pledge my professional reputation to save you now, since you can stand at all, and your senses are partly restored; let him lie down again; try, could he sleep

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Sleep!" said M'Garry with horror,--" perhaps never to awaken." "I'll keep up the galvanic influence-don't be afraid; depend upon me-there lie down, can you shut your eyes? Yes, I see you can ;don't open them so fast. Try, can you keep them shut? Don't open them till I tell you-wait till I count two hundred and fifty:-that's right, turn a little more round-keep your eyes fast;-that's it-One— two-three-four-five-six-seven; and so he went on, making a longer interval between every number, till the monotonous sound, and

the closed eye of the helplessly-drunken man, produced the effect desired by the doctor; and the heavy snoring of the apothecary soon bore witness that he slept.

We hope it is not necessary to assure our fair readers that Edward O'Connor had nothing to do with this scene of drunken absurdity :—no. Long before the evening's proceedings had assumed the character of a regular drinking bout, he had contrived to make his escape, his head only sufficiently excited to increase his sentimentality; so instead of riding home direct, he took a round of some eight miles, to have a look at Merryvale; for there dwelt Fanny Dawson-the darling Fanny Dawson, sister to Dick, whose devilry was more than redeemed in the family by the angelic sweetness of his lovely and sportive sister. For the present, however, poor Edward O'Connor was not allowed to address Fanny; but his love for her knew no abatement, notwithstanding; and to see the place where she dwelt had for him a charm. There he sat in his saddle, at the gate, looking up the long line of old trees through which the cold moonlight was streaming; and he fancied that Fanny's foot had trodden that avenue perhaps a few hours before, and even that gave him pleasure: for to those who love with the fond enthusiasm of Edward O'Connor, the very vacancy where the loved one has been is sacred.

The horse pawed impatiently to be gone, and Edward reined him up with a chiding voice; but the animal continuing restless, Edward's apostrophes to his mistress, and warnings to his horse, made an odd mixture; and we would recommend gentlemen, after their second bottle, not to let themselves be overheard in their love fits; for even as fine a fellow as Edward O'Connor is likely to be ridiculous under such circum

stances.

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"O, Fanny!” cried Edward,-" My adored Fanny!"-then to his horse, "Be quiet, you brute !"- My love-my angel-you devil, I'll thrash you, if you don't be quiet-though separated from me, you are always present to my mind; your bright eyes, your raven locks-your mouth's as hard as a paving-stone, you brute !-Oh, Fanny, if fate be ever propitious; should I be blessed with the divine possession of your charms; you should then know—what a devil you are-you should then know the tenderest care. I'll guard you, caress you, fondle you— I'll bury my spurs in you, you devil. Oh, Fanny !—beloved one !— farewell-good night—a thousand blessings on you!—and now go and be d-d to you!" said he, bitterly, putting spurs to his horse and galloping home.

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When the doctor was satisfied that M'Garry was fast asleep, he and Murphy left the room, and locked the door. They were encountered on the lobby by several curious people, who wanted to know "was the man dead?" The doctor shook his head very gravely, and said, "Not quite;" while Murphy, with a serious nod, said, All over, I'm afraid, Mrs. Fay;" for he perceived among the persons on the lobby a servant of O'Grady's, who chanced to be in the town, and was all wonder and fright at the news of his master having committed murder. Murphy and the doctor proceeded to the dinner-room, where they found the

drunken men wrangling about what verdict they should bring in, and a discursive dispute touching "murder," and "manslaughter," and "accidental death," and "the visitation of God," mingled with noisy toasts and flowing cups, until any sagacity the company ever possessed was sacrificed to the rosy god.

The lateness of the hour, and the state of the company, rendered riding home impossible to most of them; so Mrs. Fay was called upon to prepare beds. The inn did not afford a sufficiency to accommodate every gentleman with a single one, so a toss up was resorted to, to decide who should sleep double. The fortune of war cast the unfortunate James Reddy upon the doctor, who, though one of the few who were capable of self-protection, preferred remaining at the inn to riding home some miles. Now James Reddy, though very drunk indeed, had sense enough left to dislike the lot that fate had cast him. To sleep with such a slovenly man as the doctor shocked James, who was a bit of a dandy. The doctor seemed perfectly contented with the arrangement; and as he bade Murphy good night, there was a lurking devilment hung about his huge mouth. All the men staggered off, or were supported to their various beds, but one,—and he could not stir from the floor, where he lay hugging the leg of the table. To every effort to disturb him, he replied, with an imploring grunt, to "let him alone," and he hugged the leg of the table closer, exclaiming, "I won't leave you, Mrs. Faymy darling, Mrs. Fay; rowl your arms round me, Mrs. Fay." 'Ah, get up and go to bed, Misther Doyle," said Tim, misthress is not here at all."

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'Sure the

"I know she's not," said Doyle. "Who says a word against her?" "Sure you're talkin' to her yourself, sir."

"Pooh, pooh, man!-you're dhrunk."

"Ah, come to bed, Misther Doyle!" said Tim, in an imploring tone: "Och sure, my heart's broke with you

"Don't say your heart's broke, my sweet landlady-my darling Mrs. Fay; the apple of my eye you are!"

"Nonsense! Misther Doyle."

"True as the sun, moon, and stars. Apple of my eye, did I say? I'd give you the apples of my eyes to make sauce for the cockles of your heart: Mrs. Fay, darling-don't be coy: ha! I have you fast!" and he gripped the table closer.

"Well, you are dhrunk, Misther Doyle!" said Tim.

"I hope my breath is not offensive from drink, Mrs. Fay;" said Doyle, in an amatory whisper to the leg of the table.

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Ah, get out o'that Misther Doyle," said Tim; accompanying the exclamation with a good shake, which somewhat roused the prostrate swain.

"Who's there?"

"I want you to come to bed, sir ;-ah, don't be so foolish, Misther Doyle. Sure you don't think the Misthis would be rowlin' on the flure there wid you, as dhrunk as a pig-"

"Dare not to wound her fame!-Who says a word of Mrs. Fay?" “Arrah, sure, you're talkin' there about her this half hour."

"False, villain!-Whisht, my darling," said he to the leg of the table: "I'll never betray you. Hug me tight, Mrs. Fay!"

"Bad luck to the care I'll care any more about you," says Tim. "Sleep an the flure, if you like." And Doyle was left to pass the night in the soft imaginary delights of Mrs. Fay's mahogany embraces.

How fared it with James Reddy?—Alas, poor James was doomed to a night of torment, the effects of which he remembered for many days after. In fact, had James been left to his choice, he would rather have slept with the house-dog than the doctor; but he dreaded the consequences of letting old Jack perceive his antipathy; and visions of future chastisement from the doctor's satirical tongue awed him into submission to the present punishment.-He sneaked into bed, therefore, and his deep potations ensured him immediate sleep, from which he woke, however, in the middle of the night in torture, from the deep scratches inflicted upon him by every kick of old Growling. At last, poor Reddy could stand it no longer; and the earliest hour of dawn revealed him to the doctor, putting on his clothes, swearing like a trooper at one moment, and at the next apostrophising the genius of gentility. "What it is to have to do with a person that is not a gentleman!" he exclaimed, as he pulled on one leg of his trousers.

"What's the matter with you?" asked old Jack, from the bed. "The matter, sir, is that I'm going."

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"Is it at this hour! Tut, man, don't be a fool. Get into bed again." Never, sir, with you at least. I have seldom slept two in a bed, Doctor Growling, for my gentlemanly habits forbid it; but when circumstances have obliged me, it has been with gentlemen-gentlemen, doctor;"-and he laid a strong stress on the word—" Gentlemen, sir-who cut their toe nails. Sir, I am a serious sufferer by your coarse habits; you have scratched me, sir, nearly to death. I am one gore of blood"

"Tut, man, 'twas not my nails scratched you; it was only my spurs I put on going to bed, to keep you at a distance from me; you were so disgustingly drunk, my gentleman!-look there ;" and he poked his leg out of bed, and there, sure enough, Reddy saw a spur buckled: and, dumb-foundered at this evidence of the doctor's atrocity, he snatched up his clothes, and rushed from the room, as from the den of a bear.

Murphy twisted a beneficial result to M'Garry out of the night's riotous frolic at his expense; for, in the morning, taking advantage of the report of the inquest which he knew must have reached Neck-orNothing-Hall, he made a communication to O'Grady, so equivocally worded that the Squire fell into the trap.

The note ran as follows:

-:

"SIR,-You must be aware that your act of yesterday has raised a strong feeling in the country against you, and that so flagrant a violation of the laws cannot fail to be visited with terrible severity upon you: for though your position in rank places you far above the condition of the unfortunate man on whom you wreaked your vengeance, you know, sir, that in the eye of the law you are equal, and the shield of justice protects the peasant as well as the prince. Under these circumstances, sir,

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