Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-05-17
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Il. ~. 3 ,cse.n.:s aah Cn .ses.

WHEN an Ifi.i,man is moved to
gratitude bv Kindness his praise and
thanks take . form Of unbounded
blessings, and, when the spirit moves
him to curse. hs cl,iirgatons are
deep. picturesque, and hiahly colored.
God save ,,l hcre!" is + 10 common
form of salutrsicu Oh entering a
cottage, and God save you k;udlyr
the answer. Anything that is admired
BY stranger IS al avs promptly
blessed. TO keep off the evil eye. The
friendly criticism. That's Il fine slip
Of Il pig" is always followed by quick
Wei, indeed, it's not bad one. God
bless lit
Turning to the subjects of blessings
and of general asyerations, we snail
find tie Irish language peculiarly rich
and fertile IN variety Of idea and adj
jective, and often in real beauty and
poetical form Of expression. Few can
tell tho origin OF such phrases as
by tie powers of Moll Kelly'-
though tradition speaks of lady of
that name being potency in Dublin.
There is n fine sonorous swing about
''By this and by that but it bangs
Banagher!" and We know that Bana-
CHER was once upon time seat OF
learning.
"Tare-an-agesI is refreshing, if
mysterious: 'by ali tI!ebooks that ever
were open and shut" has a vast liter
airy sound about il, and, when it is in
tended to take the oath falsely, the
word "ncvcr" is adroitly substituted for
ever" Just SIS on old trials witness
prepared to edo his best for tho poor
bow IN the dock" would kiss his own
thumb, but not the holy book, with a
sounding smack. Very fine and ma
jestic is the rhythm of by the piper
that played before Moscsr though
there is no authentic account OF that
eminent Semitic musician; and there
is deeply devout meaning in the
curious expression "Pleasc the pigs,
which is corruption of PLEASE the
pyx," the sacred vessel that holds the
Host on high at the mass. ''Wurra
Deelish" means Sweet Virgin" who
is sometimes invoked in moments OF
danger as Queen of Heaven" and
"Saints in Gloryln or Saints alive
are expressions of admiration or Won
der.
As examples Of richness of diction,
take the charm blessing to be said to
an old woman: 20 aged old woman
of the gray locks, may eight hundred
blessings twelve times over be on thee
Mayest thou be free from desolation,
o woman of the aged framel May
many tears fall upon thy graveP
A ''wise woman" properly blessed
after this fashion, will make you dream
dreams of importance, which dreams
you must never tell fasting, and al.
ways tell them first to a woman by
the name of Mary.
Again there is something touchingly
roetical in the words of tho Western
charm for love. Three times, secret
", over a drink to be given the be.
loved one, the girl will say: This is
charm | set for love; a woman's
charm of love aud desire; of God that
none can brcak-.You for me. and
for you, and for none else; your face
TO mine, and your head turned away
from all others So with the old
Irish names Of animals; they are In
dian in their descriptive power. The
ant was ''the slender one" the trout
was called 'brene," the lone with the
spots" the hedgehog was called "the
ugly little fellow" and the wren was
known as the "Druid's bird" because
if any one could understand its chirrup,
as it darts from bush to bush, he would
have knowledge of coming events,
as foretold by the bird.
What vividly picturesque words and
illustrations sportsmen with attentive
cars can pick up! Concerning a 70.
mantle rabbit run the question was
asked, .'Are there many rabbits about?
Many, is it?n was the reply: ''sure
there are whole funerals of themr'--
the procession Of rabbits suggesting
tie curious idea. s.Any trout in this
stream'" "Trouts. is it? Wait till
the flood goes down a bit. and yer
honor can walk dry-shod over their
backs TO the other sidew-LoHdon
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