Mr Labouchere as an Irish Patriot

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 122, 8 April 1890, Page 3

Mr Labouchere as an Irish Patriot

: When a young diplomatist at the British embassy in Washington Mr Labouchere was sent to Boston to hunt up some *• Irish patriots" but lost all his money at a convenient gambling houqe the same evening. He continues : — " The next morning the bailiffs seized on the hotel for debt, and all the guests were requested to pay their bills and take away their luggage. I could not pay mine, and so I could not take my luggage to another hotel; All that I could do was to write .to Washington for a remittance, and to wait two days for its arrival.. Tbe first day I walked about and spent my half a dollar on food. It%as summer, so I slept on a bench <>n the common, and in the morning jftmfc tb the bay to wash myself . I rait independent of all the cares and troubles of civilisation. But I had nothing with which to buy myself a breakfast. I grew hungry, and toward evening *so exceedingly hungry that I entered a restaurant and ordered dinner, without any clear idea how I was to pay for it, except by leaving ray coat in pledge. In those days Boston restaurants were m »Btly in cellars,' and there was a bar near the door, where the proprietor sat to receive payment. As I ate my dinner I observed that all the waiters, who were Irishmen, were continually staring at me, and evidently speaking ■of me to each other. A guilty conscience made me thick that this was because I had an impecunious look, and that they were discussing whether, my clothes would cover my bill. At last one. of them approached, me and said, "I beg your pardon, sir, are you the patriot Meagher ?" Now, this patriot Was a gentleman who had •aUed Smith O'Brien in his Irish rising, and had been sent to Australia, and had escaped thence to the United States. It. was my business to look after " patriots'.' so I put my finger before my lips, and said, " Hush !" while I cast up my eyes to the ceiling as though I -saw a vision of Erin beckoning to me. It was felt at once, that I was Mnagher. , The choicest viands were placed before me, and meat excellent, wine. When I had done justice to all the good things I approached the bar and asked boldly formy'billr The proprietor also ah Irishman said, " From a man like you, who has suffered in the good cause, I can take ho money ; allow a brother patriot to shake you by the hand." I allowed him. I further allowed all .waiters to shake hands with _.', and w.-lked forth w ti the stern,' resolved but somewhat condescendingly dismal . air which I have -seen assumed by patriots in- exile. Agaiu I slept on the common, again I washed in the bay, then I went to the post office, found a letter for me' from Washington with some money in it, and breakfasted. SAX :-.-.