Charles O'Malley, the Irish Dragoon, with Illustr. [By H.K. Browne].

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1876 Excerpt: ...enthusiasm that marked our entree, we still resolved to persist in our original plan, and, accordingly, early the following morning, announced our intention of giving amateur theatricals. The Mayor, who called upon our Colonel, was the first to learn this, and received the information with pretty much the same kind of look the Archbishop of Canterbury might be supposed to assume, if requested by a friend to ride "a Derby." The incredulous expression of the poor man's face, as he turned from one of us to the other, evidently canvassing in his mind whether we might not, by some special dispensation of Providence, be all insane, I shall never forget. "His visit was a very short one; whether concluding that we were not quite safe company, or whether our notification was too much for his nerves, I know not. "We were not to be baulked, however; our plans for gaiety, long-planned and conned over, were soon announced in all form; and though we made efforts almost superhuman in the cause, our plays were performed to empty benches, our balls were unattended, our pic-nic invitations politely declined, and, in a word, all our advances treated with a cold and chilling politeness, that plainly said, ' We'll none of you.' "Bach day brought some new discomfiture, and, as we met at mess, instead of having, as heretofore, some prospect of pleasure and amusement to chat over, it was only to talk gloomily over our miserable failures, and lament the dreary quarters that our fates had doomed us to. "Some months wore on in this fashion, and at length--what will not time do?--we began, by degrees, to forget our woes. Some of us took to late hours and brandy-andwater; others got sentimental, and wrote journals, and novels, and poetry; some made acquain...