The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1865-03-25
MARY CANAVAN.

D~
MARY CANAvAN.
1t became part Of my lot in life to help
the Irish government during the eventfuI
period Of the Irish famine Of lo46-7. was
4 poor law inspector, and had a large dis
trict in my charge J had necessarily TO 90
about good deal and visit warehouses, hos
pita.s and relief stations, il the discharge Of
my duties. Ny mode Of conveyance as a
rule was an outside Irish iaunting car, and,
with one horse, or rather indeed with pony,
used of day sometimes to get over fifty
long Irish miles.
| started one morning in the cariy spring
from my headquarters 10 visit station IN
a veiv remote and wild part Of my district.
My man-servant- coachman. groom, butler,
valet, all comprised in one very original and
fanny individual called Nick, ,"-accompa-
nvIng me. The night before left on this
pa ticnlar journey, in which occurred an in
cd, ut ! am about to relate, | told Mick to be
sure to stock the well' Of the car with rye
bread, that used to bake in my own house,
and above all not to forget to fill my flask
with brandy, which, as we shall presently
see, was not altogether used for selfish pur-
poses. Many time when have been driv-
wbo u ~ ,,s;a;ai ss' III
recent of ibe I'M amount of Il An ra,;af
literally Iookin., starved The .yiditv with
which they seized and devourad - lonves
of rye bread / used 10 givo thenssf sfron, tb.,
wen y satisfied mo tbaI ,ha ,,o,a,, ,,-h;ob
was sent to US poor law inspectors from all
parts of the United Kingdom to expend in
any way W thought fit, and which for the
bakehouses aid an the GOOD n vas ;n,.n5ed
to do, and even moTs than ths generous
donors could have anticirated.
| scarcely think was ever ont On a NOR.
lovely da, than that 10 ,yb;.,h I aIl,,do ard +
one could only have fslr that ths i reonia ,,a,s
not diving il hundreds thronghont The J;s-
trict, and throughout the island eeneraIlv
such a day amidst such a scenery, Womb
have brought as fs.itest er,tey,,,eut :. a.
Skirting along lovely lakes above which
rose hills clad With yernal beauty. drove
some ten miles and then turned of bv q
mountain road which led by A long descent
to a wild ana harren lao siretching unhro.
kenly for many miles towards the ses coast
AS we got on The bog. there was Jan ;ndica-
ton that there had been a turf road Lut
gradually its traces became more and more
indistinct. and we had TO make the hest Of
our wav across the "hlasted heatb y A.
last 10 c.n,e ~ !. ro.a .cain nj T -, ~.
lied 10 shane nv ~o,,rse r,r ,hs -s,;ef sta
ton. which + WAS ahout \, insnact
The path, or road or whatever else one
might r. ,ose to call Il was trsioht and eo
rheys was 'otbing 20 ;n,srr.n, ,he 80. ~,
before ms
Mick, who was never much inclined TO
wrap himself up in himself. and had been
d;scoursinp eloauentlv on the yalue az good
sopnd roads g,v;ng ma bis nr;vs,o on,D;or
a. ~ the -hsrs,tar of tbst ~, r,t;.h ~ ,.,a~a
then travelling snadenIv called ont
"Wha! on earth, sir. is that before rs pn
Where ~ savs 7
"Canit vop So s;rS Tha ord s.vo,s
-. hodv stretched across tba roadn
On looking before me AZ ahout i hundred
Yards distance, 7 saw that n,ch Mel al
racted NV attention
ayes saidJ ~no donht II ;s como noar
creature Who has d;ed On he war 10 The
station at - h,,t we shall soo,, Lno,r .
On coming IN we found n was tbe cornse
! az n wor.an annarentlv about fortv vaa,.s of
400 Ac,netnmed ss 7 was N "a tha &C.
e.cts af fap,;rs -vr;tiad :, .ho r,b.stI,,
appearance which She presented Her face
was Literally so attenuated that I could see
All its yeuoys and arterial anatomy as well AZ
| if the skin had been removed
While looking Al tbis horr;d s;obt Il
seemed % me that She could not have heen
verv lono dead I could acc M bab;tat;on
for miles around. "Possiblv.n said. "lifa
| i not o,,;te eytinci,i ami 'racollac,;no tha
l;ttlr smatter;nr Of doctorino xb;ch learned
in earlxT rss sho,,s,t,t i - ~ :" -
what eject = st;m',isbt MIGHT b.ve '' : -
~Rr;ng me- 1' nv hrsndv | assL !, ~. u;cL ;,
said I +" and helm me ~ raise har hs.d ~
."For what sira aid he "Bsds6 Il