Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1885-01-20
MISCELLANEOUS.
Sketches Of Foreign Travel,
By Coz. JNo. II. GIpsoS.
Continued. J

(COHtinNe0.
I left Drogheda, by rail, for Ennis
killen, the chief townin the county of
Fermanagh, by way of Dundalk (which
lies midway between Dublin and Bel
fast, being about sixty miles from
each. At Dundalk changed cars,
and again fell in with jolly lot of
Irishmen, who we're on their way home
to the county of Cavan. They got
out at Clones. They must have been
at the fair, judging from their con-
versation, which was about the prices
of cattle, hogs, &c. They took me,
L am sure, for bloody English
man. with my long mutton-chop
whiskers, and seemed to aim at an
noying me Indirectly. I sat rcserv-
edly in the corner of the car, which
was quite large one, without open
ing my mouth once. They were.very
noisy and restless, and seemed to
notice me more than was agreeable
1t was now dark when they rose to
get out at their station, and one of
them, little fuller than his com
panions, and alittle more pronounced
in their striking characteristics as
he passed by me, gruffly observed,
"WeIli old Robinson Crusoe, when
did you leave your damned Island!"
His friends child him for the insult
ard hurried him along out. Who
knows hut what he had suffered at
the hands of the Government? Pos
sibIy he was friend to some one of
the prisoners then on trial ut Dublin.
At any rate, the sight of big John
Bull, as he thought I was, travelling
through ireland, and that, too, in n
car where he had no business and
where it is not his wont to go, was too
much for his Irish sensibilitics and
barbaric vengeance. 1t was not long
before arrived at EnniskilIen, =
town of 6 ,OO0inhabitants, situated on
a little island in the river which con-
meets the lakes of the upper and lower
Ernc. l went to the hotel in hack.
After cup of excellent coffee, a stout
piece or two of cold beef with mus
tard, and as good bread and butter as
ever ate, retired to quiet, far off
room, whose furniture and bedding
were striIlingly antique. Tie sheets
were pure linen and clean. Linen is
as common here as cotton. A linen
shirt is no mark of pride or extrav-
agance. This is the Province of Ul-
ster, the land of flax and from whence
comes the fine Irish linen so much
priced the world over. slept sound
Iy and late, for there was no noise Of
wheel, or tramp of man, or screaming
of engine, or ringing of bell. or beat
ing of drum, TO arouse the slumbercr
in that far off country town. The
coffee or eating room was on the
second floor. 1t is not unusual to see
on the side table of an eating room in
Ireland and Scotland. a large round
piece of cold beef, saddle of cold
mutton, cold poultry, bread and
cheese. That seems to be their reg
ular place. You are not expected,
however, to help yourself at pleasure
to these dishes. They are there, it
seems, only to be handy-possibly to
provoke the appetite, which they as
surcdly do. I never saw in ireland
or Scotland, at hotel, what we call
a bar-room. You can have your
drink brought to you in the smoking
room, coffee room and to your cham
Der. Or you can have it served to
you at small opening near the office.
The bottle is never handed to you.-
You are asked whether you want q
&c whole or half and as you answer
it is measured out to you. Their
furnishing liquors seems to be merely
incidental to the business of a hotel.
Here it is for revenue" alone. Il
America the bar-room seems to be the
most essential branch of the enter.
prise, and well adapted it is to the
purpose of its institution. There the
liquors are for the guests and not fol
the public generally.
Enniskillen is 1O2 miles from Dub,
lin, 80 west of Belfast, and about 6C
from and south of Londonderry. i
and Londonderry are somewhat re
nowned for the brave defense they
made in 1859 against the troops O
James II. And in honor of Ennis
kiIlen for the heroic conduct of he
citizens on that occasion, the 9Th ORA
goons, regiment mostly raised anc
recruited there, is called and known
as the s. Inniskillings" 1t is mil
itary station, with forts, barracks ant
troops-red-coated fellows. The SIN
lniskillins," I believe. were of tn,