The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-10-06

pretty vines were trained about the windows themselves. and the little curl Of smoke above the thatch. which told of the humble hearthside within. es- caped through a sturdy chimney in' stead Of the usual hole in the roof.
 As the big fellow bounded into his cabin, remained outside under the pretense of enjoying the fine coast scenery, and this seemed wise. for the joyous riot within fairly signifed that for the time being there was little place for the stranger.
 This shortly subsided, and the giant reappeared at the door tossing his tiny. barefooted wife in the air as though she were babe; while brood of little ones. the youngest as big as the little mother, danced wildly about him; and l was directly installed as guest with great honor, greater garrulousness and a ringing cead mille failte.
 And what merry hustle and hustle were there about that home welcoming meal!
 Blocks of the finest turf were put upon the embers and the little ones took per spring turns at the dingy. wheezing bellows. Ashes and flame roared up that great chimney as never they roared before. Schowders (oaten cakes) were set on edge for a fresh toasting. In jiffy the white horses were gal lopin above the "pratles" in the pot; the "tay was wetted by the fire;" and everybody was falling over everybody else In very excess of loving effort. I htVtI1 fl ha fhrAA aI AayD't tho little wife blushingly asked her burly husband
 Three aigs. Is it?" roared the giant fisherman, taking his wife's little head In his two huge hands; hands so big | there was no place left on her glowing | face to kiss. Three aigs! Phat's three aigs to empty craythurs like our selves, sufllish machree?"
 The big head descended to the little | head with almost alarming caresses. Sure impty sacks can't stand. It's rubbing grase to fat pig to say 1t, but yez might drink wid this stranger in a coal-hole, wid yer eyes to tn clack! Make 1t sex-an'-an' a slewsther (kiss of fondness) a villish (my sweeDw Not one but many "slewsthers' were | showered upon the blushing and pro- testing matron now
 An two-eyed beefsteak Ca herring) | for tn aich av us; an a fine miscaun leone of butter) from Misthress ONeills by the crag: an a gawlioge Qarge meas | ure) O milk; an tn heartsomest fayst in Kerry enthirely, wid banaght Dhea orrin. ershi mishi! (with Gods blessing on us, say ID"
 It was all that, in the pleasantest cabin; and then came the problem of my own housing for the time should remain among the fishermen of the re- zion.
 The cabin, like all others of its class had but one room below and a little loft above But surely there was no place for me in these. But in little shed at the end, dry and clean, where all the boat and fishing gear was stored. we soon had a fine couch made on a we'll folded seine, and though clearly de- fined aroma of fish, tar and oakum pervaded the place, as one little window showed some sweet, fern-covered cliffs behind, and another gave a superb view of Valencia Island, the sublime promontory of Bray Head, and of the mighty sea beyond, only a churlish traveller could have found else than graduation in the sunny and winsome spot
 And yet how little served these quaint folk fully!
 There was not a chair within the cabin. Two stone Strangers seats" one at either side of the chimney, and few rude stools answered in good stead. A bunk against the wall was the bed of the fisherman and his wife. The bouchaleens and girshas (boys and girls) slept upon the floor of the loft above. Their only mirrors were each others eyes. One table of heavy deal stood beneath the window. One cup board, formed by a little recess in the wall, and another of ancient Irish oak, easily held all the households scant though precious belongings. One or two case-knives, several fish-knives used in cleaning fish and in all seafar- ing work, two or three earthen bowls, pewter mug for the rare treat of sugar, one modern tin pan, a hu ge pewter basin and two or three saucers con- pIlSeu dl lue ware TOT Cne IaDle the fisher family possessed.
 Besides these, there were a few of those rare old fish methers or square drinking-cups carved out of solid wood, precisely the same as those used in Erin twenty centuries ago. A strong bot, or tub, had its place beneath the table. A schrahag, or fiat osier basket, with nar- row sides, always held the boiled pota- toes at the meal. And the cooking utensils were the same, and as few, as have been used by the peasantry since there were such in Ireland.
 There was great iron pot for the stirabout, the potatoes and for boiling cabbage leaves and other delicacies for the pig; smaller iron kettle, in which an egg might be boiled, or the "tay wetted;" and great, round, fiat iron girdle in which black bread, the schow- ders and all extraordinary goodies were baked, either hanging from the crane above the fire, or set at an angle against it and turned as necessity re- quired.
 The schowder, next to potatoes be- ing here the great staff of life, really deserves mention. It is made of thick batter of oaten meal, seasoned with salt, and, on festive occasions, with the drippings from fried pork. Strictly speaking, 1t is only the schowder when, as the oaten cake baked on the great l hanging griddle, it is additionally toast edsor roasted on the muddha arran be- fore the greeshaugh or embers.
 This muddha arran is the onIv o+her utensil of the fireplace of these fisher men, or of the western peasantry at | large. It is an iron-forked stick with l