St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-07-09
PARNELL's AVONDALE HOME.
An Unpretentious Place, Will
Neglect Everywhere Visible.

An Unpretentious Place, With
Neglect Everywhere Visible.
Pail Mall Gazette.
1t was during the Easter vacation last
year I formed one of party of four
or FIVE students on walking tour
through the county of Wicklow, and
had left Glendalough, our last hating
place, that morning. We had got over
a good deal of ground, and got a good
deal out of our bearings, when, on max
ing inquiries as to our whereabouts, we
learned that we were in the neighbOr-
hood of Mr.. ParnelPs estate at Avon
dale. We had no particular destination
in view at the time, so we decided to
pay a visit to the residence of this re-
markable man and to get peep at the
interior if possible. We were soon di-
rected thither by some country people
pride at the fact of the Irish leader hav-
ing his home in their midst. The en-
trance to the estate was extremely I'M
pretentious. An old man sat at the
door of the lodge, dressed in the now
fast disappearing costume of the typical
Irish peasant. who pulled away at a
short pipe and placidly regarded us with
a kind of far-off look in his eyes. He
did not evince the slightest curiosity as
to who we were OF what we might want,
but quietly removed his old dudeen and
babe us ''gOod mOrrO' and good look"
Somehow we did not like to intrude
further on the reverie of this ancient
relic by seeking for directions to the
house, so we walked OH along the drive.
A short distance through some fine
trees brought us to the house itself,
which stands at the top of grassy
slope, and appears two Storied from one
side and three-stOried from the other,
1t is small and of plain design on the
exterior, and appears to have been
built somewhere about the latter part
of the last century. The door was
opened by the housekeeper, who told
us that none of the family were at
home, but that she would be happy to
show us over the place if we would
leave our cards, according to Mr.. Par
nell's directions. This we did, and en-
tered. Neglect seemed written every
where, but then we Iecollected that the
master of the house was unmarried,
and that the general degree of neatness
that usually displayed in students
rooms.
In the center of the hall stood an an
cient billiard table with faded green
cloth. A great wood fire blaZed in the
big, Old-fashioned crate, and on the
walls there hung some of the usual
paraphernalia of such an apartment.
Empty cartridge boxes and ammunition
were scattered here and there on a side
table, rifle occupied an uneasy posi-
ton along with heap of lumber; but
by far the most striking and suggestive
feature was the enormous accumulation
of, deliberately Illuminated and massive
ly framed addresses that had been pre-
sented to the leader by corporate bodies
of all kinds throughout the country.
These lay about everywhere, like pict-
ures in a dealers store room. They
had to stay where they were, for
they were far too numerous to
fit anywhere else. We passed on to the
drawing room, which presented very
creWded-Out appearance; the super
abundance of chairs, tubes, books,
ornaments, and articles of virtu of all
kinds was further accentuated by a
hosts of silver cups and vases, silver
trowels, and, believe, SiIver-mounted
spade and wheelbarrow. and one or
two slver-mOunted hurting sticks,
ana Ill klluS VI pIcSeHIdIIoH ware
wrought ill all kinds of national and
emblematic designs. Everything
seemed fumbled together into pro-
miscuous mass. The pictures on the
walls were of various descriptions and
degrees of merit. Here was a white
marble chimney-piece inlaid with col
Ored floral designs, rare style of art,
the secret of which seems to have died
with its inventor, an Italian who worked
in Dublin.
We were next shown into the library
Mr.. ParnelES sanctum. 1t was snug
and coy, land suggestive of lettered ease
and retirement. The books consisted
for the most part of volumes of the
Journals Of the house of commons,
whether of England OF Ireland l could
not say. A vast deal of correspondence
was careleSSly Strewn about every
where, and l could not help thinking
that any person so disposed had only to
abuse the courtesy allowed to callers to
.acquaint himself with the nature of
these Communications. Mr.. Parnell
when at home uses this room almost ex-
clusively. The windows here COM
manded a splendid view of the mount
aims opposite the valley, stretching
away to the southeast; altogether this
was by far the most inviting part of the
house. Leaving the library, we were
led across the drawing-room to the din
ing room opposite, which was, like most
other dining-rooms, harmony in ma
hOgany.
Our guide now brought US to the room
where Mr.. ParnelI was reared, which
she seemed to regard as the most sacred
spot of all. 1t was entirely devoid of
furniture, save an old box containing
empty wine bottles, that lay in one cor
ner of the room. We strolled out and
past the house. and down the slope to
valley below. The river seemed to be
the ideal of trout stream, one success
sion of falls, rapids, deep pools and rip
pling reaches, but believe the fish to
be had therein are few and small, ow-
ing, perhaps, to the metalliferOuS nature
of the rock formation in the locality.
On the other side of the valley the
mountains rose rugged, rocky and
abrupt. but the bank of the river were
we'll wooded. especially on our side,
little further on, where we passed
through wood containing some splen-
did old trees. We continued our walk
through the estate for some miles, till
we came to the far-famed vale of Ayoca.