In the evening our occupations became still more pressing; there were balls, suppers, whist parties, rows at the theatre, shindies in the street, devilled drumsticks at Hayes's, select oyster parties at the Carlingford,--in fact, every known method of remaining up all night, and appearing both pale and penitent the following morning.
Webber had a large acquaintance in Dublin, and soon made me known to them all.

Among others, the officers of the -- th Light Dragoons, in which regiment Power was captain, were his particular friends; and we had frequent invitations to dine at their mess.

There it was first that military life presented itself to me in its most attractive possible form, and heightened the passion I had already so strongly conceived for the army.

Power, above all others, took my fancy.

He was a gay, dashing-looking, handsome fellow of about eight-and-twenty, who had already seen some service, having joined while his regiment was in Portugal; was in heart and soul a soldier; and had that species of pride and enthusiasm in all that regarded a military career that forms no small part of the charm in the character of a young officer.
I sat near him the second day we dined at the mess, and was much pleased at many slight attentions in his manner towards me.
"I called on you to-day, Mr.O'Malley," said he, "in company with a friend who is most anxious to see you." "Indeed," said I, "I did not hear of it." "We left no cards, either of us, as we were determined to make you out on another day; my companion has most urgent reasons for seeing you.