The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1893-11-18
VALE OF AVOCA.
The Picturesque Scenery Of Wick
low is Charmingly Described =
By a Yankee Bicyolist.
THE MEETING OF THE WATERS
The Special Correspondent of the
Chicago Times Travels From
Waterford to Dublin.

Waterford to Dublin.
Waterford, the "unconquered city" has
historical associations OF thousand
years, but few historical buildings. It's
mile long quays, where Irish eggs, but
ter and pigs take ship on their way to
hungry Brltishers, are much like other
quays. It's buildings and streets are
huddled together as if some giant hand
had gripped and squeezed the city.
There is one great crack-a long, wedge
shaped market place-but in the humber
portions people must live close neighbors
whether they like it or not.
| did not irger there beyond getting a
rather late morning start. Crossing the
SUR by long bridge that the Yankee
Lemuel Cox built for less than the esti-
mate, one reaches Ferrybank, the pretty
wooded rise where lies the villa portion
of Waterford. Behind is view OF ter
raced roofs and bold cliffs farther up the
river.
For some miles an aspiring tendency
of the road induced a perspiring tend
ency in the Yankee cycling over it. Then
came welcome change. Though the
road kept the high bank overlooking the
picturesque village of Glenmore it de-
scended with slant that gave two
mile coast. Peasants at work in the
harvest field cheered as they saw the
"silent steed" rush by, and the swift mo-
! tion brought the exhilaration every
cyclist knows.
Soon the descent into the valley of the
Barrow brought me close to it's side. Be-
low New Ross it is broad and sluggish
stream, quite unlike most Irish rivers.
But the bank rising directly from the
roadside was steep and prettily wooded
and the views were not unpicturesque.
At commonplace New Ross tangled
mass of market-day humanity, vehicles,
and beasts of burden had to be pene-
trated to reach the police barracks.
where sergeant who was q veteran
cycliet mapped out route to Dublin for
me and then stood IN the road to tell q
funny story about an American whose
bump of irreverence was large.
Before the hills and dales or the road
to Enniscorthy had been trsversed the
threatening clouds began to let down
rain and half skidded down the tobog-
gan.slide hill into the village A shop
awning gave half hours shelter to me
and to half dozen young fellows who
laughed at their own pointless jokes On
passers-by just like have heard Ameri-
can country pumpkins at cross-road
store.
A stretch of featureless upland, and
then was at Ferns, a tiny place with
the rugged ruins of a castle on it's high
est hill. In pretty demense are abbey
| ruins, and the woman at the tidy inn
where 1 got supper told me should
| stay week to see all the pretty sur
roundings. But I did not even yield to
the temptation to stay all night, but
pushed on in the lovely twilight toward
Dublin. Again the clouds gathered and
the rain descended. was much. be-
draggled specimen of vagabond when I
jumped off at Corey and asked man
about lodgings.
1t was relief to set out from dismal
Corey for Arklow. The day had bright
ened till it was delight to be out in the
air and sunshine. The green of the
fields and hedges was freshened by the
rain. The mountains of Wicklow began
to show on the northern horizon. At the
roadside inns and about the little vii
lagos the men and boys sat or loitered.
A Sabbath calm was over all the land
scape.
Nearing Arklow, after Watching for
some time the rounded, bare outlines OF
the mountains to the left, stood on the
pedals to see over q particularly blank
stone wall. Suddenly, like a magic
transformation. the green landscape gave
way to marine view 90 lovely l cried
out With surprised admiration. The
beautiful blue of the Irish sea stretched
as far as the eye could see. Close by
was stretch Of yellow beach, with the
low buildings characteristic OF the wafer
side, and Q few masts drew dark lines
against sky no bluer than the waves
beDeath. Beyond the slightly inolosed
bay rose green headland, and nestled
beneath it and extending along the river
4 wan the picturesque village Of Arklow.
Loved as is the sea by those who have
] always lived within sound of It's breakers
Lie has : greater charm Tor him who ha1
lever dwelt fax from the oceans sands