Handy Andy, vol 2

Handy Andy, vol 2

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Title: Handy Andy, Vol. 2 A Tale of Irish Life
Author: Samuel Lover
Release Date: December, 2004 [EBook #7180] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on March 22,
2003]
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ANDY, VOL. 2 ***

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HANDY ANDY
A Tale of Irish Life
IN TWO VOLUMES--VOLUME TWO
THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF SAMUEL LOVER (V. 4)
[Illustration: Tom Organ Loftus' Coldairian System]
[Illustration: Tom Connor's Cat]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS VOLUME TWO
Tom Organ Loftus' Coldairian System
Tom Connor's Cat
Andy's Cooking Extraordinary
Tom Organ Loftus and the Duke
The Abduction
A Crack Shot
The Challenge
The Party at Killarney
_Etched by W. H. W. Bicknell from drawings by Samuel Lover_

CHAPTER XXII
The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no
vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered
by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse,
mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig. On the vehicle coming up,
Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head,
the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart
servant-boy.

"You have the horse ready, too, Billy?"
"Yis, sir," said Billy, touching his hat.
"Then follow, and keep up with me, remember."
"Yis, sir."
"Come to her head, here," and he patted the little mare's neck as he
spoke with a caressing "whoa," which was answered by a low neigh of
satisfaction, while the impatient pawing of her fore foot showed the
animal's desire to start. "What an impatient little devil she is," said Dick,
as he mounted the gig; "I'll get in first, Murphy, as I'm going to drive.
Now up with you--hook on the apron--that's it--are you all right?"
"Quite," said Murphy.
"Then you be into your saddle and after us, Billy," said Dick; "and now
let her go."
Billy gave the little black mare her head, and away she went, at a
slapping pace, the fire from the road answering the rapid strokes of her
nimble feet. The servant then mounted a horse which was tied to a
neighbouring palisade, and had to gallop for it to come up with his
master, who was driving with a swiftness almost fearful, considering
the darkness of the night and the narrowness of the road he had to
traverse, for he was making the best of his course by cross-ways to an
adjacent roadside inn, where some non-resident electors were expected
to arrive that night by a coach from Dublin; for the county town had
every nook and cranny occupied, and this inn was the nearest point
where they could get any accommodation.
Now don't suppose that they were electors whom Murphy and Dick in
their zeal for their party were going over to greet with hearty welcomes
and bring up to the poll the next day. By no means. They were the
friends of the opposite party, and it was with the design of retarding
their movements that this night's excursion was undertaken. These
electors were a batch of plain citizens from Dublin, whom the

Scatterbrain interest had induced to leave the peace and quiet of the city
to tempt the wilds of the country at that wildest of times--during a
contested election; and a night coach was freighted inside and out with
the worthy cits, whose aggregate voices would be of immense
importance the next day; for the contest was close, the county nearly
polled out, and but two days more for the struggle. Now, to intercept
these plain unsuspecting men was the object of Murphy, whose
well-supplied information had discovered to him this