Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-21


and an ottoman tipped with an IRISH harp
in bog oak carved by Connolly, on which
lies quilted green silk spread sent to Mr..
ParHeil when he was imprisoned in Kill
mainhan, and on either side of the windows
are two handsome caskets in carved oak and
silver, one given by the city of Dublin and
the other by the city of Limerick.
REMINDER OF HIS MOTHER.
Behind the former is an address from
Waterford and the latter is backed by the
address presented TO Mrs. Della S. Parnell,
the statesman's mother, by the National
Land League of the county of Wicklow.
There are number of examples of the old
masters and many family pictures on the
walls, and two very handsome lnlald
marble tables which are covered with
old china, rare bits of glass and other bric-a-
brac. Under one of these tables stand the
full-sized wheelbarrow and spade in bog
oak and solid silver presented by William
Murphy when Mr.. ParneIl turned the hrst
sod of the West Clare Railway.
The mantelpiece is a very rare and valua-
ble example of FlorentIne mosaic done in
Irish marble, the entire frame being
traversed with shaded wreaths of foliage,
fruits and flowers. On the center table are
three emu eggs mounted in silver, and pre-
sented BY Mr.. John Fox, an lrish-Austra-
ter Fanny, also an Easter egg IN silver and
gilt sent bv the Irish ladies of Liverpool TO
Kilmainham Jail, with a golden yelk of
hundred guineas.
ONLY ONE PICTURE.
The walls and ceiling of the dining room
are elaborately and admirably decorated IN
stucco work after the very best stNle of the
renaissance, a peculiar effect being produced
hv large wall mirrors iniaid in wreaths of
finely finished plaster flower work, and
there are some very choice medallions in
color, also set flush with the surface of the
walls. The only picture is a life-sIze portrait
of Commodore Charles Stewart, father OF
Mrs. Della S. Parnell, painted by Sully,
after his victory over the British navy on
the big lakes. There are some Chippendae
chairs and sideboard made to fit the alcove
buIlt Tor 1t. Ii anyone were to reproduce
this room in America he would not regret
il, and, Tor that matter, the whole plan Of
the house is very livabie, and is a good
model for a country house anywhere.
The library, which also serves as the
breakfast room, is on the left, facing toward
the Meeting of the Waters. There are
many thousand books, mostly old volumes,
many o. which are very valuable, having
been collected by the grandfather of the
present owner, who was a great enthusiast
in art and letters. La one corner is a curl
Gus octagOn desk, matched by one of more
modern design at the ingie nook, and COM
fortab bic arm chairs stand on either side of
wide wood fireplace, with tables dinner and
tea, dotted here and there over the room.
FAvoRITE MOUNTAIN RETREAT
Daring my visit we went to the noun
tains after grouse, driving through the ia
nous village OF Aughrim, then upward and
onward until the grass aud the trees were
Lett behind, and the purple heather bloomed
out against the brown turf and gray bleak
stone. The air became purer, a sense of
sill beauty came over one as the light and
shade chased each other over the rounded
slopes of radiant color: now the mountain
frowned, ana now fash leaped up as the
sunshine tipped some brook trickling adown
the canyons.
Presently we turned long spur of the
hills and got a first glimpse OF Augh-a-
TsGagh, which means in English The
House OF the Dirty Woman, where Charles
S. Parnell is most at home for he prefers
the place in the mountains even to Avon
dale. After the revolution of 1898 the En-
glish coIonized Wicklow with i resident
army ana built military roads and barracks
for the soldiers.
BY the strange irony of fate the chierest
fortalice, in which, as the story goes, 1000
men were lodged, was altered over by Mr..
PsrneIs father, and the central portion now
serves as a shooting lodge, while the ends
are gone 10 rack and ruin, and the vast ex-
panse Of the walled in drill yard serves as o
PLAYGROUND FOR THE DOGS.
The rooms are vast and desolate. The
visias IRON the windows are sublime. In
front the valley treads away Tor miles and
miles, while in the rear Lug-na-quilla, the
second highest mountain in ireland, rises
alOit over thousands of acres amid the drift
ing clouds that enwreath its regal summit.
Charles 5. Parnell is rot the strong man
that he was in years gone by. He was wont
10 sit by the great fireplace and think, when
he should have been on the moor. The
wear and worry Of mis- weighty life of tur-
moil, anxiety and relaxation have worn
upon him, and the lusty limbs that were
wont to leap from clump TO clump of heather
rested easier in the saddle of the shooting
pony that Mr.. Corbett had brought along
But when the wide ranging dogs Stiffened
10 statues of red bronze and there was the
hush of expectancy in the air, then the old
spirit came over him and he sprang lightly
10 the sod, grasped the old under-grip gun,
made BY Rigbv, OF Dublin, and given him
by his brother John 20 years ago. and then
slowly, anXiOuSly, men and dogs drew on
until the brown birds burst into air with
cluck of beak and whirr of wings, as though
a volcano had exploded at our feet.
THE SPORT ON THE MOOR.
The guns speak, feathers fy, some of the
pack sail over the mill on outspread pinions,
some come thudding to the heather tc drum
out their life or scramble into vain sought
hiding amid the cracks and Jumps of turf
Or NAV be the white scut of a hare goes
bobbing over the uneven ground, flying fast,
but not fast enough for the leadeu hail that
follows. / have known most hunting that
there is, but give me good grouse moor in
good season and 1 will ask no more.
We Iished and shot, feasted on the spoils
OF our rods and guns and wondered at the
people of the place, with their patient,
hopeful, hopeless, let-things-be, it's-all-!o !or-
the-best way of living. Then one morning
we drove away from Avondale, through tine
undulating hills, across lovely Glennamurt
and through the choicest scenes of Wick.
low to the Seven Churches and Glenda
Tough. Here We took boat, rowed under
81. hevin's Bed, caught a basket OF fine
lake trout, and then to horse again, and
followed the Avon back to the old house OF
the hill. Ny visit was wondrous pleasant
and will not soon be forgotten.
II. T. JOHNSTON,