With such provocations of mutual irritation, they quickly appealed to the law of arms; and after putting the eyes of each other into half mourning, they agreed to adjourn the battle till Sunday morning, and to decide it like jontlemen—by the cudgel. The meeting took place accordingly, and each was attended to the field by a numerous train of partizans, male and female, from the warlike purlieus of Dyott-street and Saffron-hill. They were armed with blackthorn cudgels of no ordinary dimensions; and having set to, without ceremony or parade, each belaboured his antagonist for above an hour, in a style that would have struck terror into the stoutest of the Burkes and Belchers, and enameled each other from head to foot, with lasting testimonies of vigour and dexterity. The air was rent by the triumphant shouts of their respective partizans, as either alternately bit the ground. At length, Mr. O'Shaugnessy yielded the victory; and Mr. O'Flannagan was borne off the field, with his brows enwreathed by the Sunday shawl of a milkwoman, his sweetheart, who witnessed the combat, and crowned the conqueror with her own fair hands.
A singular circumstance.
Mr. Jones a veterinary surgeon of the Curtain road, near London, was called upon lately to attend a horse that was unwell; having some very untoward symptoms about him, the horse was conceived to be in danger: every means was made use of that seemed calculated to be of service, but without effect, as he died the same evening. On opening the body, in the presence of several spectators the rectum was found to be ruptured by the pressure of a large calculus, or stone which weighs five pounds seven ounces, and in one of the intestines (the colon) were found three others that weigh sixteen pounds seven ounces. Altogether twenty one pounds fourteen ounces. They are kept in Mr. Jones' museum and submitted to the inspection of those who desire to view such a phenomenon.
A partridge's nest was last August discovered in a plot of grass, in the garden of the Reverend Mr. M'Kenzie of Knockbourn, Shropshire. It contained sixteen eggs which had been deserted by the mother. They were immediately laid under a turkey hen that was sitting, and from them were brought forth sixteen fine birds, which were in a thriving state, and were following the turkey as their mother when the account here given was written.
Pedestrianism.
In these days of walking wonders, the following is worthy of notice.
A lieutenant of the navy stationed with the sea fensibles at Kingston; between five and six miles from Swanage, performed that distance on foot in the short space of twenty minutes.