Patriots at Home.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 57, 5 July 1884, Page 5

Patriots at Home.

For real downright "divarsion" of the ould Irish sort we have met nothing to compare with the recent proceedings of the Carrick-on-Suir Board of Guardians, as reported in the " Waterford Standard." What the row was about we cannot pretend to knoAv; we doubt, indeed, whether anyone present troubled his head on that matter. After some heated talk, aMr Shee called a Mr" Kirwan "a bailiff," without the slightest reference to the subject under discussion. Of course, no true Irishman could sit still under such an insult, and the assailed gentleman consequently jumped up and retorted, " You had better keep your tongue in your cheek, or you'll get it across the ear !" Mr Shee must have declined to subject this unruly member to imprisonment, for the report credits him with replying, "You're a dirty-faced old sweep." A Mr Phelan here interfered with an uncomplimentary remark about " the notorious bumbailiff," but he was promptly suppressed by a shout of " Sit down, you little good-for-nothing tinker," from a Mr Walsh. After that, the fun became so fast and furious that it would be necessary to print the whole report to give a fair idea of its liveliness. Among the choicer epithets we find, "noisy little insect," " insignificant little viper," and " little grey-headed old blackguard;" and all these were hotly resented. But when one guardian called another " a suspect and a Land Leaguer," the object of his vituperation drew himself up majestically, smote his chest, and bellowed, "1 am both, and lam proud of it." Thereupon Mr Kirwan threatened to "smash his nose," and the pugnacious pair were retiring from the room to have a friendly encounter outside, when the board interfered and passed to the order of the day.