Morning journal and courier., 1889-03-02

| the cabin itself, and found it's way across the | stone floor and beneath the side wall in 6 little sinuous path cut for it in the solid ! rock. I found within this strange structure one old Irish dame and four buxom Irish | girls mapping" Connamara flannel as I en- tered. They looked busy enough and honest enough;- but the welcome had got without exception in every hut and hovel in Ireland had previously entered was wholly lacking here. 1 did my best to appear genial and | friendly; but the more loquacious and obse- quious I became the more threatening grew their frowns. Faster and faster they whirled the blocks on the shaggy wool. asked them all manner of questions about their work, and after time came towards the ta. ble as if in friendly inquiry. The old wo- man suddenly turned and demanded that I remain where was, "at the dure." For the few minutes had been in the cabin there had seemed tendency on the part of the women to huddle in their work as if to pro- feet from view with their tremendous petit coats something beneath the bench. In the hasty glance I stole I could discover nothing but the apparent irregular stony floor of the
 "mill." A few rough jackets and shreds of
 hats hanging here and there indicated that
 men were about the place. Beginning to feel uneasy at my reception, I asked, as if in decorum, if I could not see ''the byes." In- stantly the old woman grasped a huge rock lying on the bench, gave several smart raps with it upon the floor beneath, which, as afterwards recalled, sounded strangely re. verberant, and turned upon me.
 "D'ye mind thats'' said she.
 stIndeed do;" said I.
 sD'ye think I cud break anything wid
 that, thina"
 "A bad mars head" I acknowledged
 bravely.
 "Faith, an twinty morea" she avowed
 "And you'll not break mine if can leave v0r1 cyat ndG below quick emo 4h!" I retorted.
 I think for tn first time in my life I then heard a genuine Irish "whoop." I will not attempt to describe it. But events followed that particular whoop with incredible swift ness. A sort of mist, composed of sky, precipice, wall, iarch-rafters, fireplace, trickling Till and four stalwart Irish women fell upon me. The next moment I was in the air, one female at each arm and leg. The next was busted from that "nap- mill" as though shot from catapult. Turning to offer or receive explanations, I caught a glimpse of a shaggy head coming up out of solid rock underneath that mysterious "nap- ping table "Toss him over aisyl" said shaggy voice out of the shaggy head; and I was grabbed again. There was no escaping those Ana zons They did not "toss me over aisy," " but they gave me the most amazing rush 1 ever had in my life for an eighth of mile
 
 tongue-scourgings betimes as no genius in objurgation has power to describe; he of the shaggy head now following on the run, and between uncomfortable bursts of laughter, begging and hallooing them to desist. Fi-
 nally they halted as in doubt and the man overlook us. He protested giibly in Celtic.
 The women seemed crest fallen but doggedly
 determined. was gradually able to com-
 prehend that he was endeavoring to make
 them know that an awful mistake had been
 made (of which I was already fully persua
 dedl; and finally it was made clear that was
 no spy nor informer, nor gauger nor excise
 man, and indeed only harmless American
 "thramping like mad OCT Ireland," as eve rybody down at the little hamlet of Round stone knew; and, as luckily for me, he had
 himself heard from Larry the boatman, and seen with his two eyes by Michael Lavln's own fire, more strength to the peat he burns!
 If went down that boreen under humili- ating circumstances went up again in state; for, despite all struggles and protestations those Irish ''Jsel Dences" insisted on form of recompense as nearly as. possible equiva. lent to the original punishment No words could describe the amends attempted in rude but earnest Inequalities coupled with dis tressingly profuse avowa1s of concern and purring palaverings of: 'tGod bless us an save us, for the goms we are entirely!' "In- dade an yer honor'n be takin' us for bad al- together! "An' for phat an for why didn't ye be teliin us the right sort ye are'' "Howly iunocents, but ye were well nigh overt" ''Wor ye hurted, avick raillyr "Do be forgivin' av us, dear!' Och, murther, sherry (Oh, eternal murderD but the great
 fools we are!"-and the like without end;
 their excess of remorse and kindness furnish
 ing day of extraordinary experiences, and
 an open sesame to one of the oldest noun
 tain poteen-dens to be found in Ireland.
 I descended into the place with he of the .Ao of
 had opened large Assure in the solid rock,
 forming cone-shaped apartment, perhaps
 twenty feet broad at the base. The floor of the 'snap- mill" above was reached by lad der to the edge of the hole beneath the map
 ping bench," which opening was snugly hts ted with thin piece of Tagging. The floor
 of the cabin had been made by the falling
 away of the rocks st the sides and roof, and
 the filling in evenly of broken rubble and
 clay. Light came in and smoke went out
 through an aperture at the side of the cliff
 above the tough. Above this opening the
 little Till fell in such @ yelling spray as ren-
 dsred detection of the cavern itself, or smoke
 issuing from it, wholly impossible. Two large, clumsy iron kettles, something like
 the American farmers "cauldrou kettle, :"
 were set on pieces of stone above the re-
 mains of extinguished fires; and three queer little stills were ranged at one side. No
 work was then in progress, but mountain dewh galore was there; for within 8 cleft of
 the rock which ran along beneath the water fall itself were stored numberless little kegs holding no more than a gallon each, filled with crystal liquid of which was entreated to psrtake to my hearts content; while in 8 dark corner at the rear were grimy sacks of oats and various implements used in the il- legal vocation.
 asked the man frankly many questions and got frank answers; for he apparently trusted me. Everybody in the west of Ire l land is "agiu the law" That made his bus mess safe one. The peasantry roundabout | to man were friendly to it; frst because l the law was not; and second because how could marriage, birth, christening or { wake be celebrated, friend welcomed ol given speed, or any grief or cheer "drowne6 or lifted" without drop of the blessed DO | teen, the Irishman's right since before tht | flood. Few came to the place themselves | The ''nappers," the wife and children, were l workers, lookouts, agents and emissaries | When they went and came poteen went away
 and oats came back in the huge osier ereelt upon their hacks beneath the great black | broideens They will tramp twenty or tnir | ty miles, carrying and bringing; and as tnt ! old Galway market you may find them no" and then squatting among the hsn wives, .s | who secretly exchange their pennies for U, tne sswate dew' which thus trickles from me lne 1 Connamara heights. Did .he guagers ever comet o yes, "wid their con epa. nficisI
 ahead O thim." This means .na' if aIso
 duty rsq95,ss qi1,soay" vss sad the leaving
 lOaoJ obaractern for the "nappers pe- hind. They are wise gaugers tnese aha
 they know the people well aas But ii Of one tbd od
 the other kind should eomeI as or for the
 1,omIent as if to remind me of my own in- I itiatory experience. Then he took me to the aperture beneath the waterfall and | pointed downward. It was five hundred | feet to the dark waters of the tough be-