The Irish standard., 1886-12-11
SHAMROCKS Err ON ER N.
SENTENCED TO DEATH.

SH iM nUOAOy yI IGNllIxsLll IGNllIsLl lJNllysH .
SENTENCED TO DEATH.
Hhe following powerfully dramatic poem.
which first appeared in the Nation OF Feb
will be read with renewed zest at the present
time when 30 many Sentences Of Death" are
being passed in Ireland. Its gifted author. who
wrote uuder the name of "Brigid," died re-
gently n. Y. Tablet.
With the sign of the cross on my forehead, as i
Aneel on this cowld dungeon door,
AS kneel ut your feet, reverend father, with
no one but God to the fore
With my heart opened out for your readn', an
no hope or thought of release
FROM the death that at day-break tomorrow is
starn II straight in the face.
have tould you the faults of my boyhood-tne
foi!ies an sins OF my youth
An now OF thiscrime Of my manhood Ill spake
with the same open truth.
You see, sir, the land was our peoples for
ninety good years, an their toll
What first was bare bit OF mountain prousne
tito good wheat bearin' soil:
7,rwas their hands raised the walls OF the caDln'
where our chiit.er wor born an Dreo'
Where our weddin's and Christenin's wor merry
where we walked and keened over our deao'
We wor honest an fair to the landloro-"e
paid him the rent to the day
An il wasn't our fanlt if our hard sweat ne
+ suuantlercd an wasted away
In the cards. an the dice, an the racecourse'
an often in deeper disgrace,
That no tongue could relate without brfng'n a
hlush to M bt,c"aA--- ace.
Dut the day come at last that they worked for,
when the castles, the mansions, the lands
They hould but in thrust for the people. to
tbcir shame passed away from their hands,
An our place, sir, too, wint to auctlon-oy
many the acres we're sought.
An wh,t cared the stranger that purcnaseo'
who made 'cm the good soil he bcught7
The old folks wor Rone-thank God Tor It
where throuble or care can't purshue,
But the wife an the chlldher-Oh Father In
Heaveh!--what was to do?
Still thought I'll go speak to the new man
I'll tell him OF me an ofmine:
The thritle that I've put together Ill place IN
his hand for 81 fne-
The estate is worth six times his money, anu
maybe his neart isn't cowld;
Dut the scoundhrei that bought the th1ef 8 pen-
orth" was worse than the pauper that sowld.
chased him to house an to Office, wherever
thonght he'd be met.
Z offered him ALL he'd put on ft--but no. twas
the land he should get;
suayed as men only to God pray-my prayer
was spurned and denied,
AM what ,nAttered how just my poor rlgnt was
when he had the LAW on his side?
xwas young. an but few years was married to
one with a voice like bird
When she sung the ould songs OF our country,
every feeling 'ithin me was stirred.
eohl see her this minnit before me, with foot
wouldn't bend a croneen,
Her ,nurhin' lips lifted to kiss me--my darlln' >
my bright-eycd lleen!
sywas often with pride that watched her, her
soft arms fouldin' our boy,
AM twas he brought the smile to her red hp'
an wakcncd the song of her joy.
Whist. father. have patience minnit, let me
wine the big drops fro m my brow
xsb;st father I'll thvy not to curse hin but
tell you. dom, prache 10 me now.
Evci,,n, mv,e,f2 Yes, know it: but the
story is now nearly done;
An father, your own breast IS neaVln-A see
the tears down from you run.
Well. he threatened-ho coaxed-he elected {;
for we tried to cling to the place
That was inine-yes. far more tnan twas nis'
sic; ltouItl him so up to his face
but the httsc h,,d melted from me III n'aAin
the fight for my own,
An, 81 begu:,r, with three helpless ch1ldner, out
ou the wide world was thrown,
AM ilcen w,ul, soon have another-anotner
that neverdhrcw breath
The ncighbors wor good to us alwaFs-out
what could they do again death1
For nv wife an her infant before me lay dead'
and by him they wor kilt,
assure az I'm kneelin' before you, to own to
nv share OF the guilt,
Z Jln,,phed all consoling to scorn, didn't nina
much what said,
With Ilecn a corpse in a barn, on bundle OF
s,hraw for Il bed;
But the blood in my veins boiled to madness
do they think that q man is Logo
thracke ed him once more-'twas the last timo
and shot him that night like dog.
Yes, Ibid it; shot him; but, father, let thin
who make llws for the land
Look to 1t, whin they come to judgment, for
the blood that lies red on my nauu.
If dhrew the piece, twas hs primed it, that
left him sthrstched cowd OH the sod;
An from their bar where got my sentence. I
appeal to the bar OF my God
For the Justice never get from them, for the
ri1ht in their hands that's unknown.
Still, at III 1t, sir-r,l say ir-Fm sorry took the
law into my own;
That 1 slole out that night in thu darkness {,
while mad With nv grief an despair,
And dhrew tue black sowl from his body, with
out giving him time for prayer.
Well, it's tould sir; you have the whole story {;
Cod forgive him an me for our sins;
Mylife now is inlin'-out, father, the young
ones for them life bexiLs:
You'u look to poor Ilcen's young orphans
God bless You. Aud now I'm at PAIGE,
Az resigned to death that tomorrow is starin'
me sthraiyht in the face.
ANTRIM.
at a meeting of the Ulster Committee
of Liberal Unionists in Belfast, on No.
vember Ii, arrangements were made tc
soA~