The Irish standard., 1894-11-24
'RECOLLECTIONS."' ;
Gerald Griffin, the Irish Scholar, a
Man of Remarkable Genius
and Character.
PEN PICTURE OF HIS CAREER.
His "Conegians'' Presents the Best
Picture Existing of Irish
Peasant Life.

picture Existing OF Irish
Peasant Life.
Aubrey De We're contributes the Sec
ond installment of his charming "Rscol-
lections" to the October number of the
Century Magazine Of special interest
is what he writes of Gerald Griffin. He
says:
Gerald Griffin, friend of mine in
youth, lived abouc four miles from us in
village called Pallas. He was a man of
remarkable genius, and Of a character
yet more remarkable, though his life was
too short to allow either to be recognized
widely. He was the youngest of four
brothers, whose parents bad emigrated to
America, AS boy he lived with two
brothers, both of them physicians, whose
talents and conduct eventually made
them eminently successful in their pro-
fession; but in early years their career
was struggling one. The boy had a
high spirit Of independence. He resolved
to be no longer burden to them, to cast
himself upon the huge world Of London
and there make his way as he might
Knowing that his brothers would not
sanction a design apparently so hopeless,
he took his departure without an adieu;
and for considerable time they did not
know where he was. At first he sup
ported himself by reporting for newapa-
pers, and afterwards by writing short
dramatic pieces for the small theaters.
He uld thus, however, win but pre-
carious existence, and during several
years seems to have been in danger of
starving, for he never allowed his broth
ers to know of his difficulties. Later he
wrote tales illustrative of Irish life in
the lower and middle classes, entitled
"Holtand Tide" "rales of the Munster
Festivals etc. All at once to his great
surprise his little spark Of local reputa
tion burst into fame: His "Collegians"
appeared; it met with great and imme-
date success. Some of the critics pro.
nounced him. the best novelist of the
time next to Sir Walter Scott; his pub
Usher set him e6o0, and he despatched
the whole of that sum at once to his
parents in America. ''The Collegians'
has been frequently reprinted and pre-
sents the best picture existing of Irish
peasant life, at on the most vivid and
the most accurate. Its comic parts are
the most comic, and it's tragic the most
tragic, to be found in Irish literature.
The tale is founded on terrible crime
perpetrated in the county of Limerick
early in the century. A young man OF
GENTLE birth fell in love with beautiful
and virtuous peasant girl, married her
secretly, got tired OF her, and drowned
her in The Shannon. For considerable
time it was impossible to arrest the mur
derer: bis capture was described to ME
bya near relative of mine, the magistrate
who arrested him. He had received
secret information, and led body of po-
lice to the house of the murderer's par
ents at a late hour of the night. Appar-
emily there had been dinner party in
the house, for on the door being opened
after slight delay he was received in
the hall by his mistress, q tall 9nd stately
lady in black velvet dress. She ad.
dressed him with quiet scorn, informed
him that her house, hoepitable one,
had been favored by many guests, but
none resembling those who had come at
that unusual hour to visit it; that she
knew his errand; that her sou had not
been in that house for many weeks; but
that he was welcome to search for him
as they pleased. They searched the
house in vain-they next searched the
Offices. When on the point of retiring
one OF the party remarked a ladder within
the stable, the. top Of which leaned
against small door in the wall. The
policemen refused to mount it, for they
said that if the murderer was hid on the
premises he must be behind that door
and would certainly stab the first to en-
ter. The magistrate mounted. The
search was again in vain. and all had de.
scended from the loft except the last po-
liceman, who, as he approached the door,
.carelessly prodded with his bayopet the
straw with which the floor was covered.
A loud scream rang out from beneath it
and the murderer leaped up. He had
been .grazed, not wounded, and If he had
held his peace, must have escaped. His
scream was almost immediately re echoed
By distant one louder and more pierc-
ing. It came from one who knew her
sons voice we'll. That magistrate told
me that the most terrible thing he had
ever witnessed was the contrast between