He accordingly made the attempt on a miller's
animal in the neighbourhood, who _would never let_ the boys _rob the
orchard_; but found to his sorrow that he had a dog to deal with who did
not care which end of a boy went foremost, so as he could get a good
bite out of it. "I pursued the instructions," said Curran; "and, as I
had no eyes save those in front, fancied the mastiff was in full
retreat: but I was confoundedly mistaken; for at the very moment I
thought myself victorious, the enemy attacked my rear, and having got a
reasonably good mouthful out of it, was fully prepared to take another
before I was rescued. Egad, I thought for a time the beast had devoured
my entire _centre of gravity_, and that I never should go on a steady
perpendicular again." "Upon my word, Curran," said I, "the mastiff may
have left you your _centre_, but he could not have left much _gravity_
behind him, among the bystanders."--_Sir Jonah Barrington._
_Bishop Ken._--This English prelate died as he was on a journey to Bath,
in March, 1710, in the seventy-fourth year of his age. He had been in
the habit of travelling many years with his shroud in his portmanteau,
which he always put on when attacked by illness; of this he gave notice
the day before his death, in order to prevent his body from being
stripped. P.T.W.
_Warning to Cowards._--There was a soldier that vaunted before Julius
Caesar, of the hurts he had received in his face.
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