The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-12-14
ANECDOTES OF IRELAND.
BY ]. H. MANsFIEnp, OF BALTIMORE.


my senses will admit and although, too
after we hear speech that is "gor, coz, q
praeterea aihil"-I might say that such
were not the speeches l heard there upon
that occasion. What surprised me much
was the defiant tone taken by the orators
in speaking against tho Government under
which they lived. To my ear, their speeches
seemed like treason to the British throne.
Said Mr.. Sadter, ex-membcr of Parlia-
ment, to Mr.. Reynolds, the member elect,
upon rising to propose toast in his honor /:
"Sir, when you take your seat in the House
of Commons we want you to tell your cole
leagues what you see here this night--a
united people, determined TO rend the gall
ing chain which binds them to the tyranny
Of England
And" said Mr.. Reynolds in his an
swer, ~ will tell the House and the infa-
nous Wing administration, who have
trampled upon the rights of lrishmen, that
beheld here this night, not only repre-
sentative from every county OF Ireland, but
one from the glorious United States OF
America--that young giant Of the West
who even in his infancy beat back the Brit
ish Lion to his lair | will tell them there
AS tell you now--that in tho cause Of
Irish liberty we have drawn the sword and
thrown away the scabbard!"
Tumultuous applause saluted the orator
OF every pause, and toast to " The United
States OF America Ito which was called
upon to respond was cheered TO the echo
by the enthusiastic assemblage.
The next morning took my seat in the
cars for trip to the beautiful Lakes of
Killarney, and was peculiarly fortunate in
having as companion for tirne-as l
rolled along through, to me, perfect terra
ineognito, an English Baronet-Sr Will
liam Raymond Codrington-who, having
purchased one of the sequestrated Irish
estates, was on his way to visit it, and
who, as we passed rapidly along the beau
tiful emerald green meadows and fields that
skirt the Blackwater river along q
great portion Of our route, told me various
traditions and anecdotes of the different
localities, which had been handed down
from father to son by the resident peasant
~ who had for generations inhabited the
same location. Forty-fivc miles south.
west'of Dublin, as VIC passed through q
village and estate called sport Arlington"
Sir William informed me that the present
Earl Of Port Arlington, who now owns
here eight thousand acres, is lineal de-
scendant of one of Cromwell's common
soldiers, whose name was Dawson.
The story goes that when Oliver Crom-
well, that iron man, Lord Protector of
England, Ireland and Scotland, with his
Roundhead Leutenants, of the typo of
Praises God Barc-bones, and "Smite-the-
flesh w harton," with his single injunction
to his soldiers of "Trust in God and keep
your powder dry" and with the Bible in
one hand and the sword in another, swept
like consuming flame through Pspal
Ireland, dwelling monasteries and plumber
ing cathedrals to keep the poor Irish from
idolatry and kingcraft, the frightened
monks hearing the mutteriDgs of the coming
storm hurnediy concealed the rich church
services and other valuables Of the cathe-
drals and monasteries, and Disgusting
themselves as peasants, as well as fat,
rotund, well fed monks could resemble a
half-starved peasantry, concealed them
selves amid the humble cabins of their
faithful flock.
1t was during this Roundhead raid that
one Of CroMwell's lieutenants with large
cavalry troop stormed and captured q rich
monastery near this place. The soldiers
had heard Of the rich golden church service
owned by the monks, and searched high
and low, from cellar to garnet for it, but in
vain-the service could not be found. To
make up for their disappointment all the
stores of the monastery were sold, and
the. proceeds divided among the troops.
Dawson purchased several hogsheads of
Irish butter that were on the premises, and
upon opening them found that the outer
coats about six inches deep only were but
ter; the remaining space being filled with
the much searched-for rich golden church
service Of the monastery This he soon
sold for an immense sum, purchased large
tract of land. by reason of his wealth,
married the daughter of poor nobleman,
and succeeding to his property LAID the
foundations of the present title and estate.
But if the course Of true love never
does run SMOOTH neither did the course
of his realization into money Tor father
land) of the gold service move on unac-
coInpanied by difficulties. The Colonel Of
the troop was of course disappointed at
not finding the "rich gold SERVICE" as
they expected, from the tales they had
heard of its great value. Stall, these Purl-
tan ancestry tof some of us) were sensible
mon, and when they could not attain to
superlative, were content to accept q com.
paIative, or even positive degree OF the good
things Of this life. Lacking the gold serv-
ice, butter THAT is good butter was then. as
now, very good thing in its place. The
Colonel, therefore, encamped near by,
agreed to buy the butter of High Pri-
waite Dawson, to whose share it had
fallen. 1t was while attempting
to fulfill his contract Dawson discovered
that by some mysterious alchemy the but
ter had been transmitted into gold But
how to keep the secret and the gold for his
own private use and behoof became the
question of the hour. The moment that it
should become known that the hogsheads
of butter were in fac, hogsheads of gold,
q division Of the rich spoil would be iaev-
table. Again, what excuse could he give
for not supplying the butter to the troop,
unless he divulged the truth OF invented a
lie? Suspicion would be awakened, and his
Colonel was q Scotchman, one of those who
subscribe to the doctrine of
1.-THE simple way,n 'the bad old plan;
That they may take who have the power,
And they may Keep who cani'
A happy idea struck him! He gave out.
with great Indignation, that the butter had
been poisoned, and purposely left by the
monks undestroyed, as welcome to their
Roundhead brethren He even feigned
sickness himself, which he attributed to
having already tasted of his portion of the