Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1863-11-11
written expressly for the Dayton Empire
A SUMNER In EUROPE,
NO. III.
KILLARNEY.

miles westward, galloping through its streets
on ponies which their owners assured us were
| splendid when we mounted them, but which,
as a considerable amount Of abraded cuticlo
that evening testified, were most confoundedly
mean aud rough ones, trying to keep in sight
a aunting car which, with a lady and gentle
man Of our pnrty and the guide, was heading
for the Gap of Dunloe and a tower around
the lakes In the haste Of mounting we had
not stopped to lengihen the stirruPs to meet
the requirements of lega somewhat longer
than the average and we were conscious Of
making our exhibition Of horsemanship as
we went iiggiing along, which would have
ELECTED many kind and encouraging remarks
people in Killarney were either too much
accustomed to such sights, or too polite to
express their opinions Of our awkwardness in
our hearing. We rode about nine miles Irish,
which are equivalent to about ten and half
of ours, over smooth macndamized road
before we came to the entrance Of the Gap.
1t was the day of Cattle Fair in Killarney
aud the way was thronged with specimens
OF both sexes of the "most illigant pisantry
in the world" driving fine cattle and fat pigs
before them to the town The women were
coarsely bnt decently and comfortably clad
They had shoes but leather seemed to be toe
valuable to be worn out on the rough roads,
and they therefore walked barefoot and
carried their shoes in their hands The mcn
wore the bobnailed shoes, the long dark color
ed wooden stockings, the "corduroy' knee
breeches and the long tailed coat in which
Florence and Barney Williams always array
themselves when personating Irish characters
on the stage, but which believe, are never
seen out of the theatre in America, and
carried nthcir hands the inevitable "shillaly,"
without which no Irishman on his "native
heather" considers his costume complete
1t was amusing to notice the intense interest
they manifested in the pig. One man held
on TO the rope which was attached to his hind
leg, while another would expostulate with
him occasionally when he manifested an
inclination to halt, with long sharpened
stick Four or five other gentlemen, friends
of Mr. Pig walked by his sides or followed
in his traini all apparently absorbed in ad-
miring contemplation of his various excellent
points His pigship was evidently most
important parsonage in the estimation of
them all
At the foot of the Gap we stopped for q
moment at a little posada by the way side, in
front Of which stood 3 out, pleasant looking
middle aged Soman, with a fine black eye,
holding in her hands n small tray on which
was glass, a pitcher and bottle. "Of
course, sir said she, you want little of the
mountain dew and pottheen.' | was about'to
decline, but the guide whispered "She is Kate
Kearneys granddaughter, sir" and that
might get another look at that eye which,
few years ago, was doubtless as 'dangerous"
as that of her celebrated ancestress. | took
little, but the milk was warm, and the mixture
not particularly palatable, and sup sulfced
me Long ago | sang ''Oh did You ne'r hear
Of Kate Kearney," and l imagined her some
lady of high degree, as well as of wondrous
beauty, and it was with some peculiar emo
tions that | found myself buying goats milk
aud whisky Of her granddaughter, at a six
pence n glass,
The scenery through the Gap is very wild
and grand The mountains are bleak, bare
rocks, and tower almost perpendicularly on
each side Of the narrow way, to the height of
two or three thousand feet-hlgh enough to
be enveoped at times in clouds. Boys at every
turning fred off their small cannon, that we
might hear the echo, and when our guide
played on his bugle "rhe last Rose of Sum
mer,' the oft repeated notes away up yonder,
growing fainter and fainter with each repeti.
ton, seemed TO me the most exquisite | ever
heard. Tom Moore, who has celebrated 80
many of lreland's beauties, says of this echo
"It seemed as if ey'ry sweet note that died here,
Was again brought TO life IN some arier sphere;
Some heaven these hills where the soul of the strain
! That had ceased upon earth was awakening agHn,'
A concert so natural that every one who
hears the echo will wonder that it was not ex
pressed thousand times before.
The mountain dew girls as they are call
ed, venders Of goats milk and whisky, follow
ed us through the Gap, insisting that we
should buy of them with pertinaoity which,
if they had not been feminines and pretty
ones at that would have been exasperatng to
the last degree. They would not take INC" for
an answer, but wheedlsd aud fattered and
coaxed with huency and persuasivsness that
was very hard to resist. In tof desperation
once put whip TO my pony TO escape from
them, but my stirrnp breaking, fell into the
hands of the enemy, and | had nothing then
= TO do, but ransom myself on the easiest posi-
BILE terms
When we were once through the Gap we
found boat manned by four stout Oarsmen
waiting at the head of the upper lake, to pull
] us back through all three Of the lakes, which
, are connected by narrow straits like pearls on
a silver thread TO our hotel We were glad
, enough to exchange our saddles for a cush-
ioned seat at the stern Of the boat, and the