New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-26
THE FAMINE IN IRELAND.
TRAVELLING TOWARDS DEsT1TUTIoN.

ATHLONE, Feb 23.-AlthOugh | stayed in Dublin
nearly two weeks did not turn one step aside TO
any of her historical buildings OF memorials;
and such of them as passed on my way to places
where my duty as a gauger of Irish misery led me.
did not either waste or consecrate single minute TO
gaze at. Excepting, whenever ! passed it-at
Goldsmiths statue IN front OF TEnlty College.
halted, as had paused, with reverence in London
Mt the spot where his body was buried. and I'M
covered nv head 10 do honor to his beloved MEM
pry Near BIZ. stands statue 10 his friend Edmund
Burke but kept my hat on therefor, although
he calamity defended the Americans he Indignantly
assailed the French Republicans; and after all.
Liberty is one and Liberty owes quite much to
France as to America
As rule, in Ireland, as in all European countries,
the men who have been hOnOred in the past BY pub
lie statues were the men whom the people should
have hanged. Let these memorials of Colby be
guarded with care for what are the foundations Of
honor to-day will by-and-by be regarded as the
pillories Of infamy.
Athone is cut in two nearly equal parts by the
River Shannon. II has population of about $500
AS it is the first Irish inland town l have seen, |
walked through its streets with increasing interest
Driven in an Irish jauntng-car to the Prince of
Wales Hotel, over solid stone bridge. through mar
row. crooked streets, the first impression is of pow
inland pisces that did not decrease in population
during the last decade. The streets dirty. The
houses are of two. or at the most of three. low
STORIES built of store plastered outside and white
washed once The tasteful display OF goods seen in
Dublin shops disappears here; the windows are
rarely decorated. even the best streets But 1t is
the streets where the poorer classes live that are
wholly unlike any streets of America. They are
mostly one story high, low, tbatched, with windows
often not more than feet by 3. and the floors
Of these dwellings are the damp earth Naten hard
by the naked feet Of old women and young mothers
and little boys and girls The cOttagers do not own
these dreary homes they pay from 2s. Cd to 5s. a
week for them. | am advised not to describe cot
tage life until 1 80 into the country out West, for
nv guide said to ne: Me dear sirr these are
palaces to what y'll see down Mayo way" Well, l
Will wait
Bat if there are more evidences # poverty out
West than there are here. it Will be a dreadful
duty to see It OF to tell OF It, the day IS rainy ard
chilly shIver in my room and, although there is
a Gre in It, as l write l wear my overcoat
Bat out in the street at every corner, almost 10
every step. have met little girls with bare legs
ana bare feet walking in the cold mud. There are
very few bows who shoes. Bat sadder than
these gifts are the old women OF the poorest class
Women of fifty and sixty and seventy years OF age
with deeply fGuowed and sharply piucned faces
that tell of two generations OF care and toll and
trouble aud want there they a1c, cut in the dTiz
cling chiii al day long, with clothes that are
dry and faei and patched until the ORIGINAL tex
tuTe is lost q TIE mass o. associated rags there or
the bridge or at the corner ont OF the wind sweep
OF toiling along the street VITA study defiance Of
the rain, see these aged Irish mothers and grand
mothers with naked feet and bouQe less heads.
have lived long enough in Ireland alIcady to
give penny 10 q bcggar without biushng. gave
silver two weeks since. But there are 50 many beg
gars whose faces talk more e'oqueatly than even
their eloquent brogue. that the American soon
finds out chat he must either get out OF the country
at once OF refuse everybody give little and Often.
Even by giving in 2 and l cent aims il is easy to
spend a dollar in walk and never relieve person
whose looks would not instantly open every purse
IN Broadway
THE CLERGYMAN AND THE PRIEST.
Athlone is IN two counties. "Athlone Beyond
is in County Westmeath. The other Athlone is IN
COUNTY Roscommon Roscommon IS the beginning
Of the West, or the dlstiuctiyely "Distressful
Country" ] write IN County Westmeath. The
two towns although in different counties. have the
same municipal governmental sort of New
England selecmen system. for Tho city Is not
Incorporated. / called on the Chairman OF tho
municipal board-whatever Its name is-whom
had heard spoken of as Mayor l called on the
Catholic priests, and tried to find the Methodist
and Baptist clergymen, All absent. Opposite the
hotel is a fine old church with q massive belfry
tower several centuries old. They say here II was
once the property Of the Franciscan risrs. but that
a soluier OF the people named Cromwell coDfscated
81 to the use of the saints who fought with Oliver.
Somehow it is now the property Of the Episcopal
church. az by law disestablished. l opened an iron
gate to tie left OF it, and entered large and hand
some enclosure Hero lawn Of several acres
In the very heart Of the old town. Standing out OF
the sight, away from the sound OF the sbIyering
noverTv vifhoui-hidden from the Qnawing hunger
in rags and forbidden to It-fOr there was lodge
at the iron gaCels the msnse OF the Episcopal rec
tor of AthlOue. called at this secluded OF fine old
Irish home and soon stood IN presence OF me cier
gyman; and did stand as told him my mission--tQr
unlike all Of his cOurtrymen bad hitherto met. lie
gave me DO welcome, ana no invitation TO Ht down
and STOOD as | heard the hali-yer able answer:
I" I can tell you the whole story IN a lew words
there Is no exceDOnable distress here there Is dis
tTess. but 10 exceptional distress" 49,
Can you advise mo what localllies III the west
to vistl'
"My opinion is that the whole tbIng has been
grossly exaggerated"
1 vent away musng. and he passed by on the
other side mean on the other side OF the door, OF
COURSE Ii is well to be exact IN these times. met
an old man. begoar, al the irou gate. ! gave him
the price of a DAILY TRIBUNE and was promptly
blessed, as IL the custom OF the county.
",Fhc ord bless yOu, surV and May the
Holy Virgin kape you" That seems the regular re-
ceipt Tor pennyworth Of aims III this country.
Then | crossed the bridge and went over to the
other half OF Athol 10 find the Catholic priests there.
Through the slGsh and mud. through mean and mar
row and crooked streets past an OLD castle, former
den of human beasts OF prey, duly extolled by
ancient police gazette reporters, who mlstook
revolutionary felOns for knights oil chvalry, aud
soon lost myself in a labyrinth Of alleys.
''Canyo fell me where tho priest livesf asked
q beg9ar after paying another fee 70 poverty
" l. it Father Pyne we're aftherF
The same, no less" added
He took me up and down, and at last was in the
of the priests. Instead OF the massive beifry OF
Athlone Beg ond a rude wooden structure held up
the great iron bell Of the church.
I Knocked at the door OF the priests house. BY