"getting Even" With An Irishman

When I was at school (said G.) there was one boy with whorn I was always quarreling. He was an Irish . yotith uamed Barney, autl, like niany of his oountrymen, lie liad a fair s'haro of mother-wit. I belieye I disliked him mainlybecanse of his wit, which sooner o r later made evory boy in .school the butt of somc joke. Ne ver shall I forget how 1 tried to " got even" with him, and how wofully he beat me with my own weapoiis. Laying my plan careftüly beforehand, I druw JSarney into a controversy, in the piesenee of most of the boys, upon the comparative bravery of the Anglo-Saxon and Ct-ltic raceR. After a warm discussion, in which history was largely drawu upon, and much banterinpr exchanged, I eaid : " Look here, Uarney - we can test the thing right here. Yon are a Irishman. and I um a Yankee. Now I will engage to dosomething riglit liere.tliis moment, that yon will not dare.to do." " Go ahead! " returncd he, defiantly; and the boys eroivded aroundto see the fun. I took a largo pin f rom my coat, and deliberately thrust it throngh the lobe of my ear, pulled it through to the head, and f hen drew it out. It hurt dreadMlly, butl aever winoed. " ïhere, Mr. Celt," said I, handing the pin to Barney, " daré yon do that? " Every eye was upon him, but he was quite eqnal to the occasion. " Yes," he replied slowly, " I daxe do it - but I:m not such a blaated fooi !" What a shout the boys did raise! I slu k away, looking and feeling silly enongh. I liad a sore ear for many days, and finnlyresolv.d never again to. outbrag an Irishman.