In countless festive halls, to-night, The Norman, Gaul, and Gael, Who claim, by birth or blood, the right Beneath the skies of ev'ry clime, Each gay, fraternal band, Make glasses ring this heart-felt chime- He's but a craven son of thine, Who scoffs at Patrick's hallow'd shrine, We drink to ev'ry creed and class For none can claim, in Patrick's name, Too long by folly fanned, And UNION lights her vestal fires:- With harmless pride our sages tell Trimm'd Learning's lamp, in fane and cell, How Roman legions camped on heights : But feared to face Finn's warrior knights :"God bless our Native Land!" No more we'll gather shamrocks there, Nor meet at foot-ball, race or fair, To celebrate The Day;', Our roof-trees blazed; the hearths are cold, By robber-lord's command: Yet vengeance nestles in such mould :— But, come! when exiles meet to-night, To keep those mem'ries green and bright, Not less we love the adopted flag, While wafting o'er to Shamrock Shore,— IRISH DROLLERY. AN amusing story of the late Daines Barrington—one of the family so noted in the last century in Ireland-is related as follows:- Having to appear for the plaintiff, in a case tried at Clonmel, Barrington "let into" the defendant in no measured terms. The individual inveighed against, not being present, only heard of the invectives. After Barrington, however, had got back to Dublin, the defendant, a Tipperary man, named Foley-lost no time in "paying his compliments" to the counsel. He rode day and night, and, covered with sleet, arrived before Barrington's residence in Harcourt Street, Dublin. Throwing the bridle of his smoking horse over the railing of the area, he announced his arrival by a thundering knock at the door. Barrington's valet answered the summons, and, opening the street door, beheld the apparition of the roughcoated Tipperary fire-eater, with a large stick under his arm, and the sleet sticking to his bushy whiskers. "Is your master up?" demanded the visitor, in a voice that gave some intimation of the object of his journey. "No," answered the man. 66 'Then give him my compliments, and say Mr. Foley-he'll know the name will be glad to see him." The valet went up stairs and told his master, who was in bed, the purport of his visit. "Then don't let Mr. Foley in for your life," said Barrington, "for it is not a hare or a brace of ducks he has come to present me with." The man was leaving the bedroom, when a rough, wet coat, pushed by him, while a thick voice said, “By your leave," and at the same time Mr. Foley entered the bedroom. "You know my business, sir," said he to Barrington; "I have made this journey to teach you manners; and it's not my purpose to return until I have broken every bone in your body;" and, at the same time, he cut a figure of eight with his shillelah before the cheval glass. "You do not mean to say you would murder me in bed!" exclaimed Daines, who had as much humor as cool courage. "No," replied the other; "but get up as soon as you can." 'Yes," replied Daines, "that you might fell me the moment I put myself out of the blankets." "No," replied the other;" I pledge you my word not to touch you till you are out of bed. "You won't?" "No." "Upon your honor?" "Upon my honor." "That is enough," said Daines, turning over and making himself comfortable, and seeming as though he meant to fall asleep; "I have the word of honor of an Irish gentleman, and may rest as safe as though I were under the Castle guard." The Tipperary salamander looked marvellously astonished at the pretended sleeper; but soon Daines began to snore. "Halloa," said Mr. Foley, "aren't you going to get up?" "No," said Daines; "I have the word of an Irish gentleman that he will not strike me in bed; and Iam sure I am not going to get up to have my bones broken. I will never get up again. In the meantime, Mr. Foley, if you should want your breakfast, ring the bell; the best in the house is at your service. The morning paper will be here presently but be sure and air it before reading, for there is nothing from which a uan so quickly catches cold as reading a damp journal." And Daines affected to go to sleep. The "Tip" had fun in him as well as ferocity; he could not resist the cunning of the counsel. "Get up, Mr. Barrington," said he, "for, in bed or out of bed, I have not the pluck to hurt so droll a heart." The result was, that in less than an hour afterwards Daines and his intended chastiser were sitting down to a warm breakfast, the latter only intent upon assaulting a dish of smoking chops. AN inebriated Jerseyman in New York, led by flaming posters advertising the play of "The Forty Thieves" at Niblo's, went to the box office and called for a ticket, at the same time throwing down a $5 greenback. On receiving in return $3 and a ticket (he had expected to pay about fifty cents), the astonished countryman, looking first at the money and then at the ticket, exclaimed, "H-h-how much d'yer ask to (hic) see these 'Forty Thieves'?" The ticket-seller informed him that the price was $2. "Well," said Jersey, throwing back the ticket and looking sharply at the official, "you may k-k-keep yer ticket;-I don't care about seeing the other thirtynine." THE SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDE PENDENCE. The following facts respecting the personality of the illustrious men who imperilled their property, their liberty and their lives, by attaching their signatures to that instrument which established our national independence, will be read with interest. The thirteen States, then comprising the American colonies, were represented in the assemblage that passed the measure by fifty-one members. Thirty-seven enjoyed the benefits of collegiate training, twenty were lawyers, four were physicians, five were clergymen, three were farmers, and the remainder were engaged in various mercantile pursuits, except Roger Sherman, who was a shoemaker, and Benjamin Franklin, who boasted of being a printer, yet was a statesman and a philosopher. Benjamin Franklin was the oldest among the members and Robert Rutledge the youngest. Robert Morris was the most opulent, and was the financier of the administration, negotiating extensive loans for the use of the government upon his personal credit; yet he died in prison, having been incarcerated for debt, a beautiful commentary on those laws that made no discrimination between the honest but unfortunate debtor, and the convicted felon. Daniel Adams was the most needy, his impoverished condition being well known. The meagreness of his pecuniary affairs made it necessary for him to seek a burial at the public expense. Josiah Bartlett was the first to vote for the measure, and first after President Hancock to sign the document. Two of the number, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, were subsequently Presidents. It is a remarkable fact, that these two men, having been Presidents, associated on the committee that framed the Declaration of Independence, and the first recognized leaders of two great political parties of our country, died on the same day, the Fourth of July, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the day on which they had contributed so much to the welfare of their countrymen. Charles Carroll was the only member that added his place of residence, and the reason of its having been done in that instance is somewhat peculiar. The patriots that formed that convention knew full well that by their action on that day they hazarded their lives. When Carroll was signing, some one near him remarked, "There goes the most valuable estate in the Colonies." "Oh," said another, "he will get off; there are so many Carrolls, they will not know which to take." Not so," replied he, and immediately added after his name, "of Carrollton." He lived to see all the memorable men with whom he acted on that day pass away, and enjoyed the prosperity of his country until 1832, when he died in his ninety-fifth year. Thomas Lynch, Jr., of South Carolina, the second youngest of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, (he being only twenty-seven years of age at the time,) sailed with his wife for the West Indies shortly after the Declaration was published. The ship in which he embarked was never afterward heard of, and is supposed to have foundered, with all on board, in a violent storm which occurred at the time. John Morton, of Pennsylvania, died early in 1777, aged fiftythree. On the 27th of May, in the same year, Button Gwinnet, of Georgia, died at the age of 45, having been mortally wounded in a duel. George Ross, of Pennsylvania, died in 1779, aged 50 years, and on the 10th of November of the same year, Joseph Hewes, of North Carolina, died, aged fifty. John Hart, of New Jersey, died in 1780. In February, 1781, Richard Stockton, of New Jersey, died at the age of 53, his death having been hastened by the severities he endured while a prisoner in the hands of the English, in New York. On the 23d of the same month, George Taylor, of Pennsylvania, (born in Ireland), passed away, at the age of sixty-five. Lyman Hall, of Georgia, also died this same year, aged sixty. Cæsar Rodney, of Delaware, died in 1784, aged fifty-three. On the 19th of July, 1785, Stephen Hopkins, of Rhode Island, died, aged seventy-eight; and on November 28th, of the same year, William Whipple, of New Hampshire, died, aged fifty-five. On the 1st of January, 1787, Arthur Middleton, of South Carolina, died, aged forty-four. On the 5th of October, following, Thomas Stone, of Maryland, died, aged forty-five. January 4th, 1788, Thomas Nelson, Jr., of Virginia, died at the age of fifty-five. On April 17th, 1790, the venerable Benjamin Franklin, of Pennsylvania, passed away, aged eighty-four. In October of the same year, died William Hooper, of North Carolina, aged forty-eight years. |