FEARGUS O'CONNOR AND SHEIL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 37, 14 January 1898, Page 6

FEARGUS O'CONNOR AND SHEIL.

A RECOLLECTION OF AUBREY DE VERES.

One night I heard a considerable noise in one of the lobbies ntar the House. It was Feargus O'Connor, who tramped up and down very vehemently near a little table, on which sat Sheil knocking his little feet together, and apparently much amused. He had just accepted office, and had to encounter a storm of opposition on the part of the extreme Irish Nationalists. The battle between the mad revolutionist and the wit was highly amusing. Feargus began :•• You were once a patriot, I believe, Mr. Sheil ; you are now in favour of a Government which is at this moment augmenting the military establishment in Ireland." "To be sure I am," replied Sheil. " It's a measure useful to Ireland. Its sole effect will be this : The new English regiments will add a profit of many thousands a year to the Irish farmers from their consumption of milk and butter alone." " That's very fine, Mr. Sheil, but I think I can recollect when you took different views of things ; if I am not far astray, when you were a young man, and addressed the mob at — , you said, ' Boys, there are foolish people that talk to you about moral force ; what I tell you is this — get iron-pointed pikes and I'll march at your head.' " " You are not the least astray, Feargus, only that you have forgotten what the mob answered." " What did it say, sir ?"

" What they said was this — ' Lord bless you, you'd no more do it than Feargus O'Connor !' " " I would do it, Mr. Shell ; and what's more, I can tell you this — there is not a night of my life that, before I ever go to bed, I do not kneel down and pray to Heaven to punish England for all the wrongs she has done to Ireland." . . . "And tell me now, Feargus, is it a fact that you are in the habit of 6aying your prayers before going to bed ?" "It is a fact, Mr. Sheil." " Well, Feargus, I would not have suspected you of it ; but I am glad to hear it. ... Follow on as you are, and here is a little advice for you. Anything- in the nature of high treason that you have to transact in future, transact the whole of it in your prayers. Thi- is the very safest form in which you can lodge the investment. Otherwise, you have so often transported the House with your UuiiXipnce that it will never stop till it transports you to Botany Bay." — " TtecollooLlurr of Aubrey de Vere."