Omaha daily bee., 1888-10-14

land. contiscated from the forefathers of
these who now serve them under sys-
TEN of serfdom intellectually more
cruel in its endless starvings and
degradations than the worst
forms of African slavery ever
known to America. Why do these
miserable souls endure it? How can
they get away from it? Holdings of
miserable land, chiefly OF peat-banks
and rock. have been already through
the ceaseless labor and always limit
taxed toilings, advanced in value by
transformation into passably arabic soil.
But that has never benefited the Irish
slave. Wherever this labor has in
creased the value of the holding, the
merciless master has advanced the rent,
keeping it ever precisely at this lte-
saving limit to the tenant. There are
no good" landlords in Ireland. 1t is
an incontrOvertable and horrible fact
that every acre OF soil in Ireland is
rented for the last penny it will produce
and keep soul and body OF the producer
together.
In three days time l had visited
nearly two hundred huts and cabins in
the wilds of Inlshowen. The mere men
tiOn OF the words, Il am from America
was a magical tallsman opening every
door and heart. "Heav'n bless We for
that" "Raally-now-an' ye're tellin'
me?' May We be saved for the great
journey home!' "Ah. now, but that's
the fine country, altogether" AN
did We see my Dennis?' "WOr We comm
up wld my ould man, sir?" Faith, but
our Katy's there' May the blessed
saints show ye our Phadrick, whin yere
back,"-and u hundred like greetings
and questions, with tremors from the
region of tears in them, We're showered
upon me: and may be forgiven where
mild and comforting lies that | told
| them. But one of the whole simple
host, poor old woman living alone with
| a goat and pig in Il hut, turned upon
| me. Had | seen her Michael darlan',
who the next blessed year would bring
her out? | had not; but would find him.
She was as n June day of delight until
| that fatal denial. No matter for my
brilliant exposition OF Americas geog-
| raphy, its wide eXpanse, its number
| less cities. All, where Michael was,
| was her America entirely. And God
| bless the true old soul of, a mother for it,
| though she did slam the door upon me
| and glare unassailable defiance through
| the little window from her stern, white
| face, until the frills of her ancient cap
| danced like wnd-swept heather among
| the hills.
Three things were mai dc most impress
sive in these InishOwen wanderings:
| the hospitality which was often be-
wildering; the extraordinary bodily
frames of some of these1owly folk; and
a touching, dogg gedly-patient faith in
the final freedom of Ireland from Brit
ish domination. Who can fifty tell OF
this hospitality? What other race on
earth is like this one which individually
and collectively with not shilling be-
tween the body and the wolf at the
dure," will beg, wheedle, blarney,
forgivably lie and almost physically
compel, you to partake of their generos-
| ity? Not one. But OF this tender
hearted trait of tho Irish | shall have
more to say at another time. Often
upon the road, occasionally among the
| peat-banks, sometimes in the fields, and
| often of evenings in the cabins, | have
come upon men of really giant stature.
| And have wondered, realizing their
| hlaf-starved lives, what splendid form
OF men would they not be, had they a
tithe the comfort in housing, care and
food enjoyed by the meanest OF their
landlords dumb brutes. All these
things will go rumbling through your
head and heart if you come to Ireland.
You cannot escape them. But the cry
out ot the Irish heart for
! the freedom and opportunity Of