The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-09-04
IRISH FUN AND FANCY,
What a Traveller Heard and Saw \
Drive to Cioyne.

1TelaDu 10 INC pace Oh All OIHelo iOl
a man who enjoys rollicking fun. 1t
is universal gift, so that 1T is as rare
to find an Irishman without it as a
down-east Yankee without some degree
of waggery. Ali along our way hither.
writes a CORES pondent of the New
York Tribune the people would bring
in some contribution 10 the conversa-
tion which Jerry, the car-man, and |
were keeping up. When we were dis
cussing the relative superiority of Irish
and American beef. a man passing Us
in donkey cart put in. "Will We tor
ture me appetite SO long before me
dinner?"
All this gives ight-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 ineXhaustible
source of humor. He entertained me
by an account of an experience which
he had when n carman in Dublin. He
had 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 gorrah!'' 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 for when his passenger pointed to
a 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-
tl,,+ Ip, .,,,ty- e..
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,
We wouldn't be so unreasonable as to
be expecting the other two, what are
in delicate health, to be standing out
and it raining?"
| 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 off 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 Washington's army in that
dreadful winter at Valley Forge were
north of Ireland men. He replied:
Isn't that the very thing I'm telling
ye, sirP America and Ireland would
thrash the worldr' | reminded Jerry
that Germany had very respectable
military establishments Don't YOUR
self know, sir that there is far more
f,eyhf in ,ranI lpir,ly e Tri-b rl-
than in a barrel of their beer?' | con-
iessed that such was our experience in
New York and Brooklyn. Again
Jerry headed me off: DO We mind
the inn we are passing? Well, sir, We
wouldn't believe what took place there.
"A few years ago, said Jerry, there
was barmaid there who was noted
the country around for her sparkling
wit and virtuous demeanor. A young
American fell III love with her at first
sioht and after three months engage
ment married her and took her to his
home, where she became 1.-THE first
lady in America | heard the story
several times. and it interested me 10
see how fast legend grows among an
imaginative people, who love the mar
velous. In one case her three months
of engagement had become 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.
| 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 Il warm
admirer of Mr. Gladstone, whom he
called with most atfectionate 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" Would YOU pay
back an Irish government, Jerryp
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 off his hat and
saluted a magpie with Bon jour,
Monsieur which he said was abso-
lutely necessary. else lie 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 mp rs
much rs 0aS possible of sacred vest
ment or vessel, and rush to the refuge
of the tower! 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 Warhurton
labored with the intellectual problems
of their time in calm and scholarly
repose. Now n good congregation is
100 souls, gathered in the choir and
canon's stalls. The common people in
the neighborhood say that the tower
was built in single night by the
spirits of the dead from the adjoining
churchyard, 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 give them the highest
tower in all Ireland But an old
woman dispelled the charm by saving
aloud, will We have them build it to
the skies?n This offended the dead
and they never laid another stone.
imagine that this is the story of the
Tower of Babel in IN Irish form. 1t
was suggested probably by the untiu-
ished condition of the tower As we
turned back homeward my mind was
filled with thoughts of the sweet Berke-
ley, of his philosophy, so characteristic
of dreaming spirit: of his hopes for
Rhode Island unrealized. and of his
last days. Before | was aware of it
we were drawing up to my hotel, and
the drive to Cloyne was ended.
A Girls Athletic Costume