A Fine Old Irish Gentleman.

Otago Witness, Issue 2200, 30 April 1896, Page 52

A Fine Old Irish Gentleman.

Sir Malachi and his visitors spent the mornings on horsttback, and most of their other h<'Urs in the dining room ; for nobody used the bedrooms much, as it was always considered more sociable to «l>-ep at the table or under it ; and the dinner began at 4, and was followed by sipping claret till supper at 9 would give the signal for drinking. The servants were sent away about midnight, after they had loaded the sideboard ; and my grandfather fiuished hi* four bottles a «itH; g, evtn iv his age, bub the mem xj of the f<-ats of hi* youth is lost to his country, for the tales are incredible.

Certain it is that the footman going into the room, in tbe fresh hours, would find Sir Malachi sober aud singing at the end of the table.

Often then I was reused by his singing and his call* for the chorua.

If there was no answer, because hjs friends were limp in their chairs, or stretched at ease on the carpet, he gave the ohorns himself ; and then, wbile the servants awoke the others, or carried away obstinate sleepers by the head and the heels, he would stride out to the ball, and clap his three-cone ed hat on the back of hie wig, and sauuter off to the f*rm «ilh the d'gs; and I woold turn ou the p'tl-.j* in my narrow bfdroom and doze, as his song di» d in the distance and blended with the barks and the dsoway lowing of cattle. — Frank Malhew's "The Wood of the Brambles."