Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-01-01

l. WIN gOlue0 gduze-llke maze, yet pTeSerN
ing their tent-like outlines against the dark
n ening sky. AS the sun went down, tn
!, moon rose and shown out brightly owe
Killiney hills l certainly never saw sue
i beautiful sight or such grouping of th
points Of diversified landscape Our pack
T ct, dashing through the deep, clear water
4 passed many a loiterins yacht with snow,
: sail; many racing boats few by us as W
: rounded the white piers of Kingstown; tn
r harbor was crowded with gay crafts, anon,
r which loOmcd large war ship. The who'll
population seemed to be on the long fla
: pier; there was music on the water, anC
many lights on the shore, reflected from
the harbor, looked like trembling pillars o
gold standing in the water felt my pre-
judica against the Irish soil little abated
and months sojourn in the good society
, of Dublin nearly converted me into a Philo-
Hibenian. Here found learning without
J pedantry, piety without prigism, enthusi-
asm for the arts without exclusiveness,
much love of liter ture, growing taste fol
the mechanical and agricultural sciences,
and thoroughly gentlemanlike hospitality;
indeed, they thought they could never make
enough of the Dean of Pamlico. So, on a
fine July day l went down to my nephew,
by the Cork and Limerick express train,
appointed and worked fully as well as our
Great Western; and the same evening found
me sitting under gigantic oaka@hich stood
almost opposite the queerest, oldest, and
most antique of parsonageS-rudely Eliz-
abethian in its architecture, with low
walls, lofty chimneys, mullioned windows
and small arched door-a most unique yet
tumble-down concern. Dear Harry was
here, radiant with joy at seeing me his
wife, handsomer than ever, much improved
and very selfpossesscd.
The children, especially my godson, whom
they called the young Dean of Pamlico,
healthy, bright animals. We had tea and
Strawberries under the kingly tree, whose
hallowed stem | measured next morning,
and found it to be twenty-fOur feet in girth
In the little dark parlor was a wooden
scutcheOn over the mantle-piece, and on it
was rudely carved in the Irish or Celtic
language an inscription ~hich Harry trans
lated for me in the following fashion =
This is the great Earl of Desmond 8 hunt
ing lodge. 1870" All the old portion of
the house seemed to me very insecure, but
the family chiefly Inhabited an offshoot
which was much later erection. / spent
a delightful month here; Harry was as en-
thusiastic and as vehement as ever, and a
truly active and efficient parish minister.
Here was a large body of well-conditioned
Protestant yeomanry, farmers. and eottiers,
and the country was studded with the hand
some seats Of an educated, we'll born, and
very wealthy gentry. Truly l was amazed,
for always considered that Justice Shall
lows observation was peculiarly appliea-
bic to Ireland and her sons. "Beggars all
-beggars all
But must hasten my tale, or the New
Year Willianticipate its conclusion. In the
following December, was again summoned
to Dublin, and | spent my Christmas at
Earlsoke; they were to leave it in March
for their new house, which stood higher I'D
in the valley, and less exposed to the pre-
vailing western gales. The old tree, almost
denuded, yet with few pale brown leaves
clinging to its vast arms and distorted
branches, looked the very type of gaunt
and worn senility; yet the children dearly
loved this ancient servitor, regarding it,
believe, next to their parents, and spent
most of their play hours climbing amidst
its branches or racing around its stem, or
sitting IN its hollow. The river ran deep,
turbid, and strong. The weather was mild,
as the year died away, aEa we had green
yet the place was healthy and
no deaths, thus falsifying an old proverb.
On the last''day of the year, the season
was so sultry that the fire went out Of its
own accord, and 10 one thought of renew
ing it; the sky was of hazy blue; the
air dazzling and trying to the eyes, and
the light brassy. A nervous man would
have complained Of the weather, for the at
mosphere seemed pregnant with electrici-
ty. We spent the whole day wandering
amidst the glades of the Earls deer park;
and the sun went down in a burning flush
Of bright crimson haze, the sky all dotted
and hecked with pink clouds and copper
colored lines. l never knew SO still an
evening. After prayers were over, we ;
walked out before the hall door, to watch
the effect of the moonlight streaming upon
the great tree. The air was even sultry. ,
1t was splendid hight, and almost as ,
light as day; the wind rising in light gusts
and voices, as it were, seeming to come ,
from the old woods, as it fell away into a
calm again. Suddenly Harry spoke ,
"Uncle, do you not hear the galloping of
4 horse just near the bridge? Who can it ]
be at this hour? |
We all listened. and suspicion became {
certainty, as in about five minutes man
'Ode through the avenue gate, slamming it |
Ti0leutly, aud cantercd up to the hall door. S
at is young Ashcroft, the Earl's game {
from Acton Wood; his brother I
must be dying. He has had consumption G
or the last year. Well, Ashcroft, what's c
he matter?'' /
30, sir, you are wanted Immediately; t
,oor John has q sudden attack, and is sink
ng rapidly t
In ten minutes, Harry was in the sad
lie; and l. strange to say, 10th to loose his s
ompany, and delighted in the beauty of 7
he night, determined to accompany him. t
was at that time writing Treatise on S
Anemology, and l was curious to discover i
rom actual observation how the wind ac- L
ed on the trees and their branches, and 2
he sound produced thereby. Harry mount n
d me on his bay cob, steady animal, t
hat had never carried Dean before and S
re set out, after most ultra-vehement +
'arting between Harry and the little wife. v
S affectionate and as protracted as if we
7ere about to start for Central Africa, or ~
epart on the Patagonian mission. He e
poke about her on our ride, and told me .,
That a treasure Of goodness and love she n
Tas to him. l told him how much really
1,,;,od bor opd eail boJ y,orooi,- ,-aJ bov,