Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-05-06

ton of Ireland. This Is particularly true
between the factors, or aAx-buysrs from
the mills and the hard d-hesded peasantry
In charge of their cart-loads of hsx.
Scores of factors will make their sp-
pearance; surround the carts: handle the
silken "stone" bundles as though a were a
pity to bring such stuff to the attention of
men whose time was valuable; and conde-
scendipgly clap q counterfoil price and or
der for payment on their respective houses
In the sellnrs' hands, as If dissgreesble
charity had been performed; whereupon
the ssllers toss them back disdainfully or
light their pipes with them In fine scorn.
Then the factors disappear. But that Is
not the last of them. One by one or In
little groups they return. These stubborn
people must be somehow saved from their
fatal ignorance. Then follow protestation
and reioinder, blsrney snd blsckguArding,
a. silvery and fine as ever human ears
overheard. 1t is of no avail. Away they
all 60 again. ''The byes" calmly resume
their pipes and their 'fgosthering" with
the old women and young. The next az
sault by these sleek and ruddy Belfast fac
tors, who are undoubtedly the csnniest
buyers In the world, is on the confidential
line 1t ts getting late In the day. They
come In droyes. With military precision
the sellers are herded In sausds PAlaver,
concession, sacrifice and deference (for
| prices, plunder and division are already
unyieldingly agreed upoD) effect purchases
with marvellous rspidity, and in half an
hour the entire great market is completely
cleared Of aaI-:he same old gameI hAT-
ing been played in precisely the same man
ner for the past hundred years.
In the average village marke. along to-
wards noon buying is likely to begin In
what might seem TO a stranger ss an alarm
/ Ing riot. The big traders will make an
onslaught upon a willing subject. Brave
ly he apparently resists their efforts TO
bully or deceive him. If By main strength
he is taken from among his friends they
will rally and set upon the traders aud
Iescua him. Some rough tussling may fol
low, but nobody is alarmed at this IL IL
way they have of impinsing upon for
mslity. The ice once broken, buying be-
| gins In earnest, and higher and higher rise
shrill voices. often aided In pitch snd in
tensity by John BArlsycorn, who is ever
i the real master of ceremonies here until
one would think murder must follow the
/ excited dickeTings. Buyers thrash the air
with their whips, and pour fearful obiur-
| cations on the poor animsls and their own
| ers; while the latter aided by their vklient
/ wives pay back the fierce hlscksuSrding
| with rich interest. The ''luck penny"
i which goes with each single beast or group
| of animals sold Is shrisked over IS though
II were the value all the market bci5s.
Babel has begun. The lesser sellers crowd
around and ''rissfheir voices" lngubTious.
| ~. Every person has drunk enough 10 be
Interested in every other persons RHsiTs.
Sales are now rapidly made, ''diTtying
the bsstes" sold, or rubbing mud on their
launches to so distinguish them, and dIi-
| wing them from the grounds creates con-
slant commotion; cart losds of pigs are
dumped, amid deafening pOrkers' shrieks,
i from the farmers carts into carts of the
buyers, whose doakeys are pounded and
rushed through the crowds vociterously;
an escaping hog drives through the forest
of legz madly, often giving old ladies and
/ young enforced serial experiences amid
shouts of laughter: the hurdy-gurdies
blsre; candy-sellers roar; pipers add to the
/ universal din; the young people crowd the
dancing spaces snd beat the turf OF i'm
/ provised hoors amid whoops and yells.
i The entire place until the evening comes
| is a wild oonglomerste of commotiOn,
courtship, laughter, yelling and rude bat
| good natured enjoyment, which for unre-
strained hesrtipsss and unqualified decen-
| oy Is something delicious and wonderful to
behold. Irish literature is full of the Irish
| shelelegh and broken heads 1t Ia untrue
| of these people as 1 have seen them; for
| at over one hundred and City fairs and
/ market-dsy scenes / have visited. / never
yet saw q human being harmed save by
| whiskey: and that Is the "hesrtsome
/ sthroke" no trus-born son of Erin ever
/ feared. EDGAR L. WAKEMAy.