THE DEAD BOXER.


By William Carleton




CHAPTER I.

One evening in the beginning of the eighteenth century--as nearly as we
can conjecture, the year might be that of 1720--some time about the end
of April, a young man named _Lamh Laudher_ O'Rorke, or Strong-handed
O'Eorke, was proceeding from his father's house, with a stout oaken
cudgel in his hand, towards an orchard that stood at the skirt of a
country town, in a part of the kingdom which, for the present, shall be
nameless. Though known by the epithet of _Lamh Laudher_, his Christian
name was John; but in those time(s) Irish families of the same name
were distinguished from each other by some indicative of their natural
position, physical power, complexion, or figure. One, for instance,
was called _Parra Ghastha_, or swift Paddy, from his fleetness of foot;
another, _Shaun Buie_, or yellow Jack, from his bilious look; a third,
_Micaul More_, or big Michael, from his uncommon size; and a fourth,
_Sheemus Ruah_, or red James, from the color of his hair. These
epithets, to be sure, still occur in Ireland, but far less frequently
now than in the times of which we write, when Irish was almost the
vernacular language of the country. It was for a reason similar to those
just alleged, that John O'Rorke was known as _Lamh Laudher_ O'Rorke;
he, as well as his forefathers for two or three generations, having been
remarkable for prodigious bodily strength and courage. The evening was