Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-01-19
MIR. PARNELL AT HOME.
SOME CHARACTERISTIC ANECDOTES
OF THE GREAT IRISH LEADER.
His Hatred of Cruelty Of All Kinds-There
Ii Considerable Humor Hidden Behind
His Grave Observation-Disclosures of His Ca
Especial Correspondence

| whom, perhaps no man better knows Mr.
Parnell, says of him: There are few men
who after a certain length of acquaintance
| do not famiiiarize you with the state of their
hearts or their stomachs or their finances
| with their fears, their hopes, their aims. But
| no man has ever been q con6dant Of Mr..
Parnel." With ali this, there is perhaps no
man who has, socially, as well as by the po-
| tency Of his patriotic craftsmanship, made 50
deep and lasting an impression on those who
! come into contact with him. But it is not
my purpose, in this letter. TO tell Of his infex-
! ible will, instructive wisdom, nor of his al
| most fanatical Inconsistencies Of danger
when he is employed in endeavoring to wrest
| from the English government what he con-
siders the rights of Ireland.
| All these things are as household words to
| the whole English speaking world, but there
are many incidents of his life and character
that perhaps have not found their way gen.
orally to his fellow countrymen at the other
side of the Atlantic.
He is ordinarily nervous even fretful
and pessimistic; but in his genial man
ner and unpretentious bearing this is all lost
to his associates off any one can be called his
associate), and you have with you only a
perfect type of the well bred Irish gentle
man. One of his chief characteristics is
hatred of cruelty in any shape or form, and
undoubtedly this trait in his nature is large
ly responsible for his wonderful efforts to re-
dress what he considers the wrongs of his
country. But a story is told of him in this
been published.
One day, while on a shooting excursion,
with some friends, one of them-a now cele-
I'D L.. IS u
at a grouse wounded valuable red setter
in the leg The others of the party did not
pay much heed to the accident, as the dog
limped along pretty well on his "three good
legs But Mr.. Parnen just then arrived on
the scene, and having learned of the shooting
lost his usual sang froid and vehemently
abused. first his dog shooting colleague, then
the entire party for their inhumanity in not
at once attending to the poor brute's injury
and finally, his nature asserting itself, he for
got his rage, and calling the dog to him lifted
him in his arms and, to the shame of his
friends, himself carried him to woodsman's
hut near by, where he personally bandaged
the leg.
Accompanying his usual sternness there is
vein of delicate humor in Mr. Parnell, of
which the followieg anecdote is a capital ex-
wig, the famous baritone, was visiting Mr.
Parnen, there came Sunday; and that par
ticular Sunday Mr.. Ludwig is not likely soon
to forget
On the evening before, he asked his Illus
trious host where would be the best chapel
to hear mass at on Sunday morning. Mr..
Parnell promptly replied that Rathdrum
church was the nearest, but that on this par
ticular Sunday the only mass would be at Il
o'clock noon This suited the singer, and
accordingly he drove to the village next
morning in a dog cart belonging to his host,
and was accompanied by another of the
guests, who was we'll known in the district.
When Ludwig got into the church he en-
gagged in prayer for a moment or two, and
then, resuming his seat, missed his compan-
ion from his side This be did not notice par
ticularly, as the little church was so crowded,
but he did notice, and with alarm, that when
the officiating clergyman had finished read
ing the notices. of the day he announced to
the congregation that they had with them
that day the celebrated Irishman and singer,
Mr.. Ludwig, who, by the especial request of
Mr.. Parnell, had come to sing for them.
Ludwig was thunderstruck, but there was
nothing for it, and he ''shook the echoes of
Rathdrum as they had not been for many a
year. After mass a fife and drum band
awaited him at the porch of the church, and
when, escorted by this delightful % music,
he arrived at Avondale he was met by Mr..
Parnell, who, in the most innocent manner
possible, asked him, "How did you enjoy the
Rathdrum choir, Mr.. Ludwig?'
And in this manner often does the leader
of the Irish people exercise mis- humor at little
expense to his guests, but with exceeding
pleasure to those around him.
One of his favorite occupations while en-
joying the seclusion of his beautiful Wicklow
home at Avondale, when not engaged in
studying scientific subjectS-of which he il
extremely fond-is turning and practical
mechanics, and it is not an unusual sight to
find the terror of the English legislat tors in
his shirt sleeves, making the chips fly from
some beautiful examples of native oak or
beech. His house is simply furnished, but
richly, and ia many of the rooms the mas
ters' handiwork is apparent in the wood
work of the furniture. But Mr.. Parrell has
not much time to devote to this favorite oc-
cupa1ion of his. The business of the nation
and constant visits from favored parlamen-
tary colleagues prevent his enjoying that
repose and quiet his extraordinary, active
life actually requires
And then his mail is curiosity. Often |
times his secretary is not stopping with him |
Indeed Mr. Parnell's desire is that be shall |
not be pestered with communications while
at his home. But, nevertheless, they arrive /
in their hundreds by almost ever. posi-; and
it is amusing 10 watch the great irish states /
man as he examines them.
fancy he must be in some measure a clair /
voyant, for dozens of letters are cast aside {
by him unopened, and, when questioned, he /
hunorously remarks They are begging let 1
tiers, and shocld not be opened by a beggar;" |
of course referring to his appeal TO tie Irish /
race for assistance to carry On the war" /
And in this connection il is not out OF place /
to recall that famous saying Of his when dis 1
agreeing with Isaac Butts tactics il the /
house Of commons Butt believed in appeal /
ing TO the house through their feelings and 1
ssnsibilittes but Parneu promptly replied: /
Attack the house through is Own interests |
and conyeniences, and then yo1 need not beg /
it-you can force il to listen. ?"
His punctuaiitv is proverbial. and perhaps |
no better instance of this could be given than |
one personal 10 myself which happened II /
July, 1883. I was 70 read a paper on irish /
fisheries OF the I2th al the international /
Fisheries exhibition, then b-ilg held IN Lon
don, and as in the latter part Of the paper
had made some illusions 10 the neglect by tire
government Of the Irish fisheries which had i
political bearing, thought il well, after coz
sultetion with the late John a Blake, II p, /
and Mr.. William OBrisn, 20 request Mr.. /
PsrDells advice rs TO whether tnst part II /
the paper should be expsngsi, or whether be /
wouk attend toe debate and supper. the al
tack made IN il against the government
wrote 70 him asking when could sse Elm,
and-it must have been Immediately AFTER rs /