New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-06
FUN AND FACT IN IRELAND.
NOTES OF A DRIVE TO CLOyNE.

waggery. All along our way hither the people
would fling in some contribution 10 the CONVEX
sation which Jerry, the carman, and were Keep
ing mp. When we were discussing the relative
superiority of Irish and American beef man
passing us in donkey-cart put IN, VIII We tof-
ture me appetite so long before me dinner
All this gives a Observation-Disclosures and sense Of
genial companionship which is the more welcome
after coming Immediately from such an intensely
earnest and serious land as America Jerry him
self was an incXhaustible source Of hnmor. lie
entertained me by an account of an experience
which he had when carman in Dublin. lie
had been there only few days. and could barely
make his way about, when he was engaged BY an
American tourist TO snow him the sights OF the
city. " BE gorrah," he said, =" it taxed me IN
genuity The pay / got was nothing for the
labor of me mind not to leave the gentleman dis
appointed. He near exposing himself nj
the last, for when his passenger pointed 10 mum
Der of figures on one Of the public buildings and
asked what they represented, he promptly re-
Piled THE twelve Apostles, sir Jerry CON
fessed that he was nearly loored when he was
asked how that could be. seeing that there were
only ten of them But under pressure all great hlhds
WELD most SO Jerry replied Sure, We wonldht
be SO unreasonable rs TO he expecting the other
two, what are in delicate health, 10 be standing
ont and il Tanng?
II is evident to any careful observer that the
condition of the common people just here, al
least, has greatly improved within generation.
| did not see one case in which the miserable
mud hut of former times was now inhabited.
Neat. whtewashed houses Of stone and Oh larger
size have taken their place. Tile or brick have
been substituted for the old earth lloOrs-happiiy,
for children that played on the floor under the
old regime were necessarily filthy. On sunday
the dress Of the people is nearly as good as WIN
us. In their working clothes the comparison Is
non as favorable TO them Wages are from 81 per
week TO So - ; and housc-rent is from 80 10 -
cents. Nearly all of the rising generation can
read which was not true of the last both be-
cause of the hardship OF their lives then, which
demanded that the children should labor, and
also because the advantages OF education were
less appreciated Jerry says that the shame
which their returning relatives from America have
felt at their ignorance has forced them 10 higher
views Of hfc. Still il is evident that the Govern
ment has been making greater efforts for pubhc
education. The school buildings are larger ana
better and tie masters better paid than formerly.
We went out of our way 10 CIoync some miles
TO see the estate OF boycottcd landlord. lie IL
an absentee, seldom coming TO his lrlsh estates.
Jerry says that he is n hard man, ana that hc
resisted every overture from his tenants for
settlement of their grievances which involved
reduction of rent. Therefore, the tenants OF THIS
estate left in body and settled on
land near by which they were able
to purchase on the instaiment plan. How
ever, doubt their ability TO make me
regular payments without help. The dIihculty
here is deeper than the ill-tcmpcr of landlords
The country is undergoing n great agricultural
Int vvb trp flrttgh
our New England States. American and Russian
wheat with cheap transportation have made the
old crops improbable. our New England farmers
were quicker ~ perceive the real cause of their
distress in the chcapncsS and plenty Of the crops
Of tie West and turned their attention at once 10
crops which would not bear lengthy trdnsportd-
ton, or which demanded capital and SPECIAL SKILL.
But they had great opportunities IN the growth
OF manufacturing towns. which created maTt't
for their milk, eggs small fruits aud flowers. Ihc
landlord system l.. OF course, the great bu2behf
here This Is what makes tie Irish problem 50
difficult Can the new system of agriculture sup
port both landlord and tenant and If but one,
which must 60? Thus far IT, has been the tenant
that has gone The common people talk rs II
with the coming OF Home Rule the landlords
would 20 1t would ccrtoiuly ne a very en-
barrassng question for a native Parliament; ana
as many OF the landlords are English, II seems
difficult 10 understand how the Imperial HoNcrn-
ment cOud disregard ntincly the sentiment and
LOSSES of Engllshmcn in the matter one Of the
smaller landlords told me with emotion that he
had been 50 driven 10 tbc wall that he had been
forced ~ bc glad when his mother died. because
then he became possessed Of a little money for
himself His estate Wa encountered with an
nuitics to aunts and cousins, younger brothers and
=, e., lo had loft and had lived fy
two years on the charity OF his pensioners. In
this country through which We are driving they
oppear to De working out the problem salts
f,ctorily The land is going into paSturagc
Cattle and sheep are everywhere. One sees far
more than he does in Montana. No other crops
than potatoes and oats are visible, and bur little
Of these OF course, with this industry the popu-
lation must decrease Jerry pointed ont one
estate where 200 families formerly lived; now
there are twenty-five. The latter is ample for
grazing Emigration has relieved the plethora
Hv this time we had come b. the ferry 10 Cloync,
and while the fcrryman was bringing over the
bridge from the other side, ! str0cd into a
r,ntleman's place. whose wicket was near.
walked about for twenty minutes, and then re-
turned hastily lest had kept the icrIyman wait
inc | was sd!prIscG 10 lind that the bridge
was no, more than hall way over, and yet the
wide It was II slow and tDlsOrne method Of
lerying, and consisted in winding on wndlaSs
d chain, which was stretched from shore 10 shore
| expressed humc Impotence to Jerry, but lac was
ready. Well sir, If the Divi was coming for
us II ON the Otlci side this would he gDud
ferry for he must then be poor man VINO coulun
get out OF the way OF his majesty before he
| cot over" That was an advantage which had
| not occurred to me. II is claimed here that THO
| Irish beef Is better than the American, 10 which
| ana not able 70 agree. Our beef has more flavor
| 10 my taste. However, the Irish beef may be
| better than that which Is sold here as IRON,
| America / have no means of Judging of that for
IL SEEMS 10 be the way here 10 brand all inferior
| meat as "Ancrican." | am informed that the
| Irish beef brings the best price. II is very i'm
portant for the immediate iutnre of Ireland that
| their beef should be better Jerry Insists that
| no meat is as juicy as the Irish. Everything
tends 10 blood i'm Ireland, Sir Look at the checks
| Of the young women and young men," had
already remarked that. interesting fact with re-
| lation 10 the former. Jerry argument was
| that if boys and girls have so much m4re blood
- 81. IL. A.