Being seldom either
cool or sober, he was a mere dupe in the hands of his companions; but
whether by fair play or foul, the moment he perceived that the game had
gone against him, that moment he generally charged his opponents with
dishonesty and fraud, and then commenced a fight. Many a time has
he gone home, beaten and bruised, and black, and cut, and every way
disfigured in these vile and blackguard contests; but so inveterately
had this passion for card-playing--that is, gambling for liquor--worked
itself upon him, that he could not suffer a single day to pass without
indulging in it. Defeat of any kind was a thing he could never think of;
but for a Maguire--one of the great Fermanagh Maguires--to be beaten
at a rascally game of Spoil Five, was not to be endured; the matter was
impossible, unless by foul play, and as there was only one method of
treating those who could stoop to the practice of foul play, why he
seldom lost any time in adopting it. This was to apply the fist, and as
he had generally three or four against him, and as, in most instances,
he was in a state of intoxication, it usually happened that he received
most punishment.
Up to this moment we have not presented Art to our readers in any other
light than that of an ordinary drunkard, seen tipsy and staggering in
the streets, or singing as he frequently was, or fighting, or playing
cards in the public-houses.
Pages:
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433