The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-06-17
STORY OF MARY SHEA
Realities of Irish Life"

The long-vexed political question of
Irish wrongs and their remedies is treated
in quite peculiar manner by w. Stewart
Trench, in the little volume of "Realities
of Irish Life" which has been published
as No. V. of the Handy Volume Series Of
Roberts Brothers, Boston. Domestic mar
ratives stranger than romance, incidents
Of peril more exciting than the situations
of the stage, homely sorrows more pathe-
tic than the imaginations of the poet,
herism in novels, tenderness and truth in
rags, diversity Mr.. Trench's pages, of
which it may be said that there is not ono
from the beginning to the end that is
meaningless or tiresome The sombre
picture OF Ireland's distress is relieved
here and there by CLEANS of that bright
Irish humor which is so sunny yet close to
tears, like the rays through wet clouds.
The little story of "Mary Shea" is a bit OF
genuine pathos-one of those tRealities''
which few writers of fiction have equalled
for its simplicity and interest-and has
the advantage of being complete in itself
so that it may be taken without need OF
explanation from the context. We can
not forbear quoting it entire:
Incidents of touching and sometimes
quently before me, in my official capacity
during the course of those trying years
One of these particularly remember, and
as / had an opportunity of tracing out the
tale from the commencement to the end,
will give it q seperate chapter.
have gone through much laborious
work during my life, but / never went
through any which pressed SO hard upon
my powers of endurance as the arrange
msnts for the emigration atKenmare. The
tide Of emigrants was so enormous, each
pressing his individual claim, and terrified
lest all the money should be exhausted be
fore his or her name could be entered up
on the emigration list, that was compel
ed to station several stout men at the door
o. my office to keep the place clear, or the
pressure of the crowd outside would abso-
ln&ly have burst it in. These strong
though kind hearted porters prevented
unnecessary crushing, and having selected
those from amongst applicants who seem
ed, from their appearance, least able to
wait, they let them in one by one, to me
/ carefully investigated the case of each
and having granted or declined the appli
cation, as the merits of the case deserved
(and at that time refused very few, the,
were passed on, their names having beef
entered for America. The JOY depicted
on the co1ntenances of those who cam
out, and to whom immediate emigration
was promised, contrasted with the anxiet
of those who were still awaiting the de
cision of their fate at the entrance door
was one of the most striking incidents O
the scene.
frequently passed eight hours day q
this most disagreeable and laborious worl
From the very nature of the case, non
came before me except those upon whor
want in its severest form had fallen. ]
similar state Of things, when these ere;
lures were pressing for admission to til
work house, had brought many a DOC
law guardian, government official. an
many kind hearted Irich lady and ge1
teman to their graves, by violent typhu
selling them in the midst of their anxior
duties. EEsss Eg.ysss ssS,g
One rule I telt compelled to- ton max AK.
namely, that would speak to no appl
c1.nts during the short intervals of m
release from business There was COZ
STINT but natural endeavor on the part ,
tho peasantry to waFlay me, as it were,
t19 private grounds of Lansdowne Lodg
thinking they might thus obtain great,
Sil-o and more quiet opportunity |
sts their several claims, and press the
= title to share Of Lord Lansdowne's BON
: ty a the free emigration which was poiT
forward. So difficult did / and Il te mr.
vent this constant invasion of nv Vel
lev honrs OF priyacy--hours which we
almost as essential to my health as breat
ing to my existence-thatI found # ne
essary to place guards around the nrer
Uses; and as the grounds were then Who'll