Nothing wonderful or interesting, nothing which touches our hopes or
fears, which either moves us to laugh or to be doleful, can happen
without the idea of Aunt Ruxton immediately arising. This, you will
think, is the preface to at least either death or marriage; but it is
_only_ the preface to a history of Defenders.
There have been lately several flying reports of Defenders, but we never
thought the danger _near_ till to-day. Last night a party of forty
attacked the house of one Hoxey, about half a mile from us, and took, as
usual, the arms. They have also been at Ringowny, where there was only
one servant left to take care of the house; they took the arms and broke
all the windows. To-day Mr. Bond, our high sheriff, paid us a _pale_
visit, thought it was proper something should be done for the internal
defence of the town of Edgeworthstown and the County of Longford, and
wished my father would apply to him for a meeting of the county. My
father first rode over to the scene of action, to inquire into the truth
of the reports; found them true, and on his return to dinner found Mr.
Thompson of Clonfin, and Captain Doyle, nephew to the general and the
wounded colonel, who is now at Granard. Captain Doyle will send a
sergeant and twelve to-morrow; to-night a watch is to sit up, but it is
supposed that the sight of two redcoats riding across the country
together will keep the evil sprites from appearing to mortal eyes "this
watch." My father has spoken to many of the householders, and he
imagines they will come here to a meeting to-morrow, to consider how
best they can defend their lands and tenements; they bring their arms to
my father to take care of. You will be surprised at our making such a
mighty matter of a visit from the Defenders, you who have had soldiers
sitting up in your kitchen for weeks; but you will consider that this is
our first visit.
The arts of peace are going on prosperously. The new room is almost
built, and the staircase is completed: long may we live to run up and
down it.
_To_ MISS RUXTON.