Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-19
PARNELL,s MOTHER.
Talk with the Venerable Daughter of
Commodore stewart.

making regular visits each day. AL
though she has not had the strength TO
go out or about much she nevertheless has
been busy indoors writing letters and ar
ranging In more uniform order many
important papers, letters and manuscripts
which she has with her. 1t
was at the latter occupation that
she was engaged when a reporter
was permitted to see her. She was reclin-
in9 on a sofa in handsomely furnished
parlOr. Her dressing wrappers was of
dark cloth, and about her shoulders was
very becoming worsted shawl of light
blue color. BY her side stood a chair
filed with bundles OF letters, and her &C.
cupatiOn for the moment vas in looking
these over and asserting them.
She has a strong, handsome face, tn
regular feature and an expression OF great
Kindness. She appeared little appre-
hensive at first. upon seeing the reporter,
bus when asked tor some recollection o.
her experiences as public speaker in be-
half Of the IRISH cause, her face bright
ened at once, and she seemed pleased at
the idea of recalling the days when she
was so active before the public.
HER FIRST PUBLIC SPEECH.
"My first really public speech" she
SAID, was made in Dublin, and | was
nearly scared to death. | had started
series of musical aud dramatic gather
ings, at which nearly everything was to
be original. 1t was in 1851, l think, aud
they were to be held on Saturday after
Moons. Mypart was to deliver the address
OF welcome, which opened the series. Full
iy 800 people were present, many Of them
being from the vice-regal households.
Lord Carlisle, though unable to attend In
person, was represented by many OF his
'aides-de-camps,' as they were frequently
called in those days. Besides my opening
address l had selected portion of Emer-
sons poem. The Republlc,' to recite, for
l thought not only that the sentiment
was appropriate, but also that my open
ing speech was original enough for me to
give them at one time In my speech
referred TO the poem and to our American
republic, telling the people that it was
Characteristic of the Americans TO go
ahead, and that wanted the Irish also to
strive to go ahead. l astoaished my audi
ence by reading such poem, and the
'aides-de-camp' did not like the sentiment
at all. These series Of literature and dra-
matte readings led to the establishment of
a society OF a similar nature in Dublin,
particularly for the encouragement OF
literary talent, which is still flourishing
there"
THE FIRST SPEECH FOR IRELAND.
"When did you make your first pub
lie address in behalf of the Irish cause ?''
"On the occasion OF DavitHs last APP
pearance here in New York, Just before
his return to Ireland. The gathering was
held under the auspices of the ladies'
Branch Of the land league, and |, rs
President, bad TO make the first speech.
The audience numbered several thousand,
and l remember Mr.. Davitt said that it
na no firzf har hoh a1 cl-av, -.
"a result achieved by the ladies' stepping
forward in the cause. Though l did not
tremble as / stood for the first time before
so big an audience and saw the sea OF
faces all looking at me, and though my
voice sounded firm, yet l was greatly
frightened, nevertheless. But / got
through it all right aud spoke for nearly
half an hour, though helped myself cut
by number of extracts and quotations.
You can imagine how appreheDsive was
about this, my first really public appear
ance, when | tell you that l practieed for
it beforehand. was staying at the New
York hotel with my daughter at the time,
and used to reheaTse in my room. l re-
member we had q good deal of amuse-
ment on the effect of this on the bOarders
who heard me, for they thought was CIV
ing my daughter some terrible seedlings.
They would listen in astonishment, never
having heard such a thing before.
THE OUTLOOK FOR HOME RULE.
When asked what she thought of the
present state of the Irish question and
home rule, she said:
''The work is going ahead well aud sue
cess is bound to come. l think the pres
ent Eastern complications will ne after lit
tie, for England can't take a hand in
Eastern matters until she has settled
the Irish question, and she Will be anx'
iOus to have that question of her hands,
Mrs. Parnell has written much in a
literary way, particularly poetry. She
has numerous portfolios filled with work
of this description. Several OF her poems
she read to the reporter. the themes being
of both a political and general nature
One was entitled ''Th0ught OF the
Times" which dwelt particularly on the
Irish troubles, aud another was "LoVe
and Folly" which she read at a meeting
in 1868. One OF the most pathetic OF heI
poems she allowed the reporter to copy
it was written in March Of the present
year, when she was very i'll in bed, aud al
a time when she was not expected to live
1t is as follows:
MALADI DU PAYS.
I'm sick; I'm sick with absence, with loneli
ness and grief;
Pm SICK; I'm sick With weakness-age brings
me no relief.
My spirit. vainlY turning, seeksfor some fan
form love:
Oh, God 'Tis worse than dying, for there il
hope above.
Mother! Thy warm and tender arms reach t.
me from the past;
Brother! Thine, strong and circling, were too
great, too good to last.
Father! Tho knowing little Of thy grand Ole
love and truth,
My spirits radiance answered thine cen from
my earliest youth.
Husband whose simple vow formed an under
current strong,
Whereon my life could speed unframed ami
happy throng.
Children Like owing flowers, voices like lIv-
ing songs,
Immortal music Still l crave your soft ant
gentle cheers,
But my heart grows faint with sobbing, my
eyes dim with the tears.
All what e. odly lOt was mine! Whai
sweetness was thercinl
Sweet In the very roses--i Eden without sin
quench my thirst with bitterness-no light
Ia in my cloud,
MY only hope that time will make Of grief m )
very shrOud.
I'm crushed; Pm crushed and wrlthing, lie
so lone and low,
The idle wind that touches seems TO smite me
as a blow,
'Tiscbillng 20 my soul-chill as an ice bound
breath,
Chill as that tyrant. that despar-chin as the
words Of DEATH