AN GAODHAL.
143
who was a gentleman of the country, prevented
him from detailing them. They are, however, still
remembered in the district in which it occurred,
but I will not depart from the example set me, by
exposing them to public light."
It was quite becoming Dr. Petrie's characteris¬
tic delicacy of feeling to follow the cautious silence
of Mr. O'Conor in relation to this fearful crime.
Now, however, there can be no offence or impro¬
priety towards any living person, in putting on re¬
cord, in a few words, the brief and simple fact of
the cause of this murder, as preserved in the living
local tradition of the country.
Mac Firbis was then under the ban of the penal
laws, and, consequently, a marked and almost de¬
fenceless man in the eye of the law, whilst the
friends of the murderer enjoyed the full protection
of the constitution. He must have been then past
his eight year, and he was, it is believed on his
way to Dublin, probably to visit Robert, the son
of Sir James Ware. He took up his lodging for the
night in a small house in the little village of Dun
Flin, in his native county. While sitting and rest¬
ing himself in a little room off the shop, a young
gentleman, of the Crofton family, came in, and be¬
gan to take some liberties with a young woman
who had care of the shop. She, to check his free¬
dom, told him that he would be seen by the old
gentleman in the next room; upon which, in a sud¬
den rage, he snatched up a knife from the counter,
rushed furiously into the room, and plunged it in¬
to the heart of Mac Firbis. Thus it was that, at
the hand of a wanton assassin, this great scholar
closed his long career, — the last of the regularly
educated and most accomplished masters of the
history, antiquities, laws and language of Erinn.
But to return.
Beside his important genealogical work, Mac
Firbis compiled two others of even still greater va¬
lue, which unfortunately are not now known to
exist; namely, a Glossary of the Ancient Laws of
Erinn; a Biographical Dictionary of her ancient
writers and most distinguished literary men. Of
the former of these, I have the good fortune to dis¬
cover a fragment in the Dublin University (class
H. 5, 30) ; but of the latter, I am not aware that
any trace has been discovered. There are five oth¬
er copies of ancient glossaries in Mac Firbis's hand
writing preserved in the Dublin University libra¬
ry (all in H. 2. 15). Of this, one is a copy of Cor¬
mac's Glossary, another a copy of his tutor Donn¬
ell Davoren's own Law Glossary, compiled by him
about the year 1595; besids which, separate frag¬
ments of three Derivative Glossaries, as well as a
fragment of an ancient Law Tract, with the text,
gloss, and commentary properly arranged and ex¬
plained.
(To be continued)
79 Pearl st. New York, Nov. 25. '91.
Editor Gaodhal.
Dear Sir, — Inclosed please find one year's subscrip¬
tion for the Gael, to be forwarded to the following
Schools in Ireland as an encouragement to teach and
learn the glorious old language of their country, the
only real sign of their nationality and the only bond
that can bind and unite them; and we all know that
in unity there is strength. If the Irish everywhere
spoke the grand old tongue of the Fionns they need
not long be asking "favors that they'll never get"
from either Gladstone or Balfour. I was born and
brought up near Killarney. Our Norrises belonged
formerly in the County Cork, near Mitchellstown. I
picked the above schools [they are given under "Sen¬
timents"] from the list of Irish teachers in the Gael
for October 1890, as being the nearest to my friends
in Cork and Kerry. I wish I could afford to send
the Gael to every Irish teaching teacher in Ireland.
Teachers will please acknowledge receipt.
Yours truly,
Thomas D. Norris.
THE PRETTY MAIDS OF BROOKLYN,
By P. A. DOUGHER.
(Copy-right reserved).
Young men and maidens now in prime,
Pay attention to my rhyme,
Don’t laugh or scoff with envy smile
While I praise the maids of Brooklyn.
Hurra my boys get ready soon,
For the country or the honeymoon,
They're going to leave the first of June,
And bid good-bye to Brooklyn.
On the first of June at break of day,
With trunks and trinkets packed away,
Off to the country hills to stay
Three long months from Brooklyn.
Hurra my boys etc.
Such shaking hands and pogs go-loer
I am sure you never seen before
As the Ferry is steaming from the shore,
And they recede from Brooklyn.
Hurra my boys, etc.
It would do you good to hear them sing,
With accomplishments of music ring,
And carry time on the new heel-spring
That's paten'd late in Brooklyn.
Hurra my boys, etc.
When you meet them with an ox-straw-ride, *
They never hoot, jeer nor chide,
But invite you take a seat beside
A charming maid from Brooklyn.
Hurra my boys, etc.
Take them to a ball or fair,
There is none with them you could compare,
They're genteel, modest, well behaved,
Those pretty maids of Brooklyn.
Hurra my boys, etc.
The city boys I would advise,
If they my counsel don't despise,
I'd give them a tip to compromise,
Or they'll get left in Brooklyn.
Hurra my boys, etc.
Now to conclude and end my rhyme,
Please excuse me for the time,
I'm sure there is one for me inclined,
Although she lives in Brooklyn.
Hurra my boys, get ready soon,
For the country or the honeymoon,
They're returning home this afternoon, —
Three cheers again for Brooklyn.
* Ox-straw-ride is very much used here in the
country, and the sport very much indulged in by
city people, i.e., farmer's wagons are fixed up with
straw so that fifty person can be seated and drawn
by oxen.
