of the independence of their country, as O'Brien and his military
friend, there might be some reason for apprehending that the intended
invasion of the Canadas by the Fenian organization of the United
States, would tend to more alarming results to England than were
anticipated by the friends of that country; remarking, in addition,
that the Irish element must be very large in her majesty's Canadian
possessions, if one might judge from the recent St. Patrick's Day
demonstration throughout them, and the various St. Patrick's
Societies to be found scattered from one end of the colony to the
other; all of which were, no doubt, more or less tinged with opinions
and aspirations similar to those held by the two individuals who had
just spoken.

"Oh, yes," rejoined Big Tom, "there are St. Patrick Societies in
abundance, but let me inform you, that instead of bein national
associations, as they purport to be, they are the very sthrongholds
of England in this country, and, with scarce an exception, the
deadliest opponents to the very indepindence that we have benn jist
spakin about. For the most part, they are filled chock full of a pack
of miserable toadies to the governmint, which manages to gather into
them a pack of rottin, ladin Irishmin who can make speeches, dhrink
'the day and all who honor it,' sing 'God save the Queen,' and talk
English blatherskite about the glory of the impire, the army and
navy, and everythin else in the world save and except the wrongs of
poor, ould Ireland, and the way to redhress them. Why, sir, barrin a
word dhropped here and there, you'd think it was in an Orange Lodge
you were, if you happened to step in on one of those societies while
engaged in celebrating, as they call it, the anniversary of their
pathron Saint; for it's nothin you'd hear but 'Rule Britannia,' 'The
Red, White and Blue,' and kindhered sintiments, and if a chap did