The National tribune., 1893-01-12

At Killarney Station we got off and went
by iaunting-ca a couple of miles to the ruins
of Kilcrea Abbey and Castle. Here there came
near being deadly slaughter between my friend
Burns and the local guide, who has just got as
far as:
"This great church and fortifcation were
built by Cormack, Lord of Muskerry -
CIV The O. Donohue, you mean" interrupted
Mr.. Burns, with a two-shilling gude-book in
his fist.
"Now, you'll please not interrupt the gen
tleman while I'm telling him about the place"
"Well, tell him the truth then. 1t was built
by The O'Donohue."
lyon lust go away and sit down in front of
your impudence with your little Dublin print
book that don't know castle from corn bin."
Then Burns and the guido went at it. /
think have said somewhere that an lrishman
don't swear in his native state. These two
swore with all the fluent ability of pothouse
politicians the night before election, while the
guides bright looking daughter looked on and
helped me laugh at the row until l said to
her:
"You tell me all about it."
She turned with blush like half-ripe to-
mato and beckOned me away from the dispu-
tants She walked through the vast ruins, and
her voice. like brook rrattling over pearls,
kept pace with her bare feet
THE records and traditions of the family
tell us both the abbey and castle of Kilcrea
were built in the year 1465 by Cormack, Lord
of Muskerry."
"Do / understand you that this whole place,
as it originally stood, was built in the year
1865?
"Oh, yes sir"
Permit me to suggest to you, Miss Concan.
non, that all the stone masons in Ireland could
not have built it in five years, even if they
worked 10 hours day."
"I'm sure nobody ever told me that, sir"
THAT is the reason / am telling you now.
A young lady of your promise should not be
led thus early into the mistake of making mis-
statements that may grow upon you."
THANK you, sir"
"What stream is this?"
Its the Bride, sir"
"Where is the bridegroom"
"Fm sure don't know. sir. l never heard
there was any, sir. Say, Mister, amt you try
ing to jolly me?"
"Not in the least think you are remark
ably jolly you are"
Pm thinking you are as bad as that Irish
ssan father is rowing with. You're not an
Irishman, are you?"
Not to any serious extent. Pm an Ameri-
can of the United States brand, but an inferior
sample.'
That's what I thought. I've seen lots of
Americans, but you are real queer one.
Don't you want ZEE to tell you about the
TEins?"
Certainly. Lets IS and see the walk of
skulls"
There's no walk Of skulls here"
"Wel, there ICED to be; but the fact is,
these ruins SIS getting old aud played out.
On both sides of tie main entrance to the alb
hey here there used to be wall of human
skulls, thigh-bones ssEi-bones and other debris
Of mortality .hat was Interestingly CHASTITY, but
notice that il is all gone"
When l turned to look at the girl there was
hole IA the atmosphere where she had stood
and tust csngbt glimpse of one white foot
az it sped srosnd big bramble-busl. The ap.
proach to the ruins is across the ruin of mar
raw four-arch stone bridge over the Bride.
TEe relics cover about Ia acres of ground and
me square towers loom up as ghostly land
marks on the highway of history. Several Of
she great arches and gables are standing. The
masonry is massive, without much pretension
In the way of architecture. Tho5e early chief.
tains evidently built more for strength than
zyle. After wandering over the place for
;.early an hour went to look for Mr. Burns
snd the guide. They were sitting on tomb
stone in the pretty graveyard with Burns's TASK
between them, and the guide was listening to
3 realistic description of the great cavalry bat
tie at Brandy Station.