The Lamar register., 1890-10-18
IRISH ruN AND FANCY
"nst Traveller Heard and Saw - =
Drive to Cioyne.

Is universal gift. so that it Is As rare
70 md an Irishman without it a .
down-east Yankee without some deoree
OF waggery. All along our way hither.
writes correspondent of the New
iork Tribune, the people would bring
In some contribution to the copyersa.
tion which Jerry, the car-man, and L
were keeping up. When we were dis
cussing the relative superiority of Irish
ana American beef, man passing us
In donkey cart put in. will We tor
ture me appetite so long before me
dinnerP"
All this gives light-heartedness
and sense of genial companionship
which is the more welcome after COM
Ing Immediately from such an intensely
earnest and serious land as America.
Jerry himself was an inexhaustihle
source of bumor. He entertained me
oy an account of an experience which
ne had when a carman in Dublin. He
mad been there only few days, and
could barely make his way about
when he was engaged by an American
tourist to show him the sights of the
city. BE gorrahl' he said. lit taxed
me ingenuity. The pay / got was
nothing for the labor of me mind not
to leave the gentleman disappointed"
He came near exposing himself at the
last. Tor when his passenger pointed to
number of figures on one OF the pub
lie buildings and asked what they rep
resented. he promptly replied. The
Twelve Apostles. sir" Jerry con-
iessed that he was nearly fioored when
he was asked how that could be, seeing
that there were only ten of them.
But under pressure all great minds
yield most So Jerry replied. Sure,
ye wouldn't be so unreasonable as TO
be expecting the other two. what are
in delicate health. to be standing out
and 1t raiuipg?"
| tried to find out Jerry's opinion of
Mr.. Gladstone's plan of the purchase
OF the land from the landlords, because
the judgment which these common
people form Of such a measure is fire.
quently the best test of its value. but
he lodged me, and was OF in praise of
America He said that ireland would
stand by America TO the death. told
him that the latest English historian
OF our Revolution stated that a good
share of Washingtou's army in that
dreadful winter at Valley Forge were
north of Ireland men. He replied:
isn't that the very thing Tn telling
ye, sir? America and ireland would
thrash the world!' / reminded Jerry
that Germany had very respectable
military establishment. Don't YOUR
self know. sir. that there is far more
fight in one good drink of Irish whisky
than in barrel of their beer?n | con-
fessed that such was our experience in
New York and Brooklyn. Again
Jerry headed me off: DO We mind
the inn we arc passing? Well, sir. We
wouldn't believe what took place there
"A few years ago. said Jerry. there
was a barmaid there who was noted
the country around for her sparkling
wit and virtuous demeanor. A young
American fell in love with her at first
sight and after three months engage
ment married her and took her 10 his
home. where she became the first
lady in America | heard the story
several times. and it interested me TO
see how fast legend grows among an
imaginative people, who love the mar
yelous. In one case her three months
OF engagement had become 4 series of
tests of her wit and virtue. In an
other series of triumphs in America
was added could see that the myth
of the fairy Queen of Erin was shaping
again around this story.
l determined now to have my share
in directing the conversation. and so
put the question direct What do you
think. Jerry, of Mr.. Gladstone's plan
OF purchasing the land with the Gov
ernment credit?n Jerry was a warm
admirer of Mr.. Gladstone, whom he
called with most affectionate respect
Our Gladstone" But l said.
would the tenants pay back the Eng
lish government? Would you do it,
Jerry?n His decision was prompt.
Il would not, sir.n Would You pay
back an Irish government, Jerry?
Faith, / would, sir" But Jerry's
faith in the latter did not seem to me
what the Puritans called an assured
faith" | suspected at the time that
Jerry did not expect ever to pay any
body. but may have been mistaken.
The subject was dropped because Jerry
at that moment took of his hat and
saluted n magpie with a Bon jour,
Monsieur which he said was abso-
lutely necessary. else he would have
sent us bad luck. We were now in
sight of Cloyne. and OF its round tower,
which suggested so many interesting
ecclesiastical memories. What sudden
raids the Danes had made here in the
olden time! What haste there had
been at sight of them to gather up as
much as was possible of sacred vest
ment or vessel. and rush to the refuge
of the towerl What tocsins had been
rung here to gather in defenders to
repel the invasion! In after times
great stately pageants were here, with
the people of the whole country gath
cred to see them. Then in still more
peaceful days Berkeley and Warburton
iabored with the intellectual problems
OF their time in calm and scholarly
repose. Now good congregation is
100 souls. gathered in the choir and
canon's stalls. The common people in
the ueighborhood say that the tower
was built in single night by the
spirits of the dead from the adjoining
church yard. who came flying through
the air all the night bearing stones:
In the morning the living folks agreed
to take no notice of the structure that
day, so that another nights labor OF
the dead might rive them the highest
tower in all ireland. But an old