adventurous youths, who seemed to think nothing of the risks they ran
in comparison with the opportunities they had of seeing the great
sight in all its splendour. From eleven until twelve o'clock the
greatest efforts were made to secure good places The side walks were
crowded and impassable. The lower windows of the houses were made the
most of by men who clutched the shutters and bars, whilst the upper
windows were, as a general rule, filled with the fair sex, and it is
almost unnecessary to add that almost every man, woman, and child
displayed some emblem suitable to the occasion. Indeed, the
originality of the designs was a striking feature. The women wore
green ribbons and veils, and many entire dresses of the favourite
colour. The numerous windows of the Four Courts accommodated hundreds
of ladies, and we may mention that within the building were two
pieces of artillery, a plentiful supply of rockets, and a number of
policemen. It was arranged that the rockets should be fired from the
roof in case military assistance was required. Contrary to the
general expectation, the head of the procession appeared at
Essex-bridge shortly before twelve o'clock. As it was expected to
leave Beresford-place about that time, and as such gigantic
arrangements are seldom carried out punctually, the thousands of
people who congregated in this locality were pleasantly disappointed
when a society band turned the corner of Mary-street and came towards
the quays, with the processionists marching in slow and regular time.
The order that prevailed was almost marvellous--not a sound was heard
but the mournful strains of the music, and the prevalent feeling was
expressed, no doubt, by one or two of the processionists, who said in
answer to an inquiry, "We will be our own police to-day." They
certainly were their own police, for those who carried white wands
did not spare themselves in their endeavours to maintain order in the
ranks. As we have mentioned already, the first part of the procession