AN "IRISH JINTLEMAN'S RECREATION.

Press, Volume VIII, Issue 840, 10 July 1865, Page 3

AN "IRISH JINTLEMAN'S RECREATION.

Whilst glancing at the police records, a short time hack, the " Daily Review " singled out the following case: —" Mr. Mulhenny is an Irish 'jintleman,' with not very good clothes on his back, but with very good blood in his veins; and Mr. Mulhenny was placed in the dock to answer what might have easily been a somewhat serious charge —for assaulting Timothy Collins, a shoeblack. He appeared in court, we are told, in a unique, but ingenious costume, consisting of something in the shape of a coat, end something called by courtesy • inexpressibles, , which hung about him in tatters, and were secured to his person with a rope. It was his best, however, and having togged himself out in it, ' Out I goes to sing,' he says, 'in the publics where my countrymen goes.' ' You are Irish, I suppose ? ' asks the good-humoured magistrate. 'Of course, , says Mr. Mulhenny, 'an Irishman and a Catholic to boot; I wish yer honour was as good a Catholic and a friend to the Pope as I am.' ' But what about the assault,' asks his Worship. ' Och, by the powers,' says Patrick, ' I was jist cotnin' to that, bedad, like Christmas, all in good time.' And so he proceeded to explain that having gone out to sing in the publics, he got a drop with one and a drop with another till —he wouldn't say he wasn't drunk. MeetiDg Tom Collins, plying his calling in the labyrinth of Crooked lane, he offered to submit his brogues to the young artist's manipulation. ' But,' says the honest shoeblack in his plaiu English way, * I told him there was so much mud about them that they would not shine, and so I would rather not do them. With that he ups with his foot and kicks mc over, and when I was on the ground he kicks mc five or six times more.' This is plain, direct, and arithmetical: and Mr. Mulhenny's story is in fact substantially the same —onlysomewhat glorified by the fervid haze of a Milesian imagination. 'I went to this boy to blacken my boots,' he said, ' and he wouldn't do it though I offered to pay him ; then, being drunk, your honour, I felt like an Irish jintleman, and resented the insult accordingly. . Only if his honour would not be hard upon him this time, he would promise on his bended knees and swear by the Pope and all the saints never to drink another drop for the next six months to come. And when the honest, kindly-hearted magistrate expressed a not unnatural fear that he was a disgrace to the saints, the Pope, and everybody else, or he would never appear in such a habit—' Och,' he exclaimed, pathetically, ' don't say that, yer honour, there's good blood in mc veins, and I'll be a jintleman yet." Nay, if his worship would only let him go, he would swear on his knees to keep sober for ever, and make himself truly respectable. Then occurred that beautiful prayer., of the shoeblack, which is worth all the talk about benevolence in all Christian books ! altogether. The magistrate, turning to the complainant, asked if the fellow had hurt him much. ' No, your honour,' said Timothy Collins, 4 Not a great deal. Don't be hard with him your honour, it's Christmas.' If Timothy Collins, with hie blacking and his brushes, shows himself a practical Christian, Francis Mulhenny, with his rags tied on him with a rope, is a sound Catholic, and with that Milesian fervour of of his, has also a piety of his own. He falls on his knees when the magistrate lets him off, and'Ye're a rale jintleman and no mistake,' he says; and I hope I shall meet you in heaven !' —though one of his countrymen, with more readines of retort than theology, makes the Court roar with the remark, 'By the powers, honey! you must put on a claner coat before they'll let you in there.' "