Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-08-23

y coo44uS preaIn from the Tar away
British Isles touches US during these
heated days, says the Baraboo News.
| and we wish we were there
Perhaps a few words from cor
! respondent who sailed from \. y.
June %, may be of interest The first
letter was written at Royal Victoria
hotel, Cork. ireland, as follows:
I'VE sighted land last night at quar-
ter to five, and how good it seemed
to see 1t, though we had enjoyed the
passage very much, and it had been an
unusually short one. For some I'M
known reason l had always supposed
Ireland was low and DOGGY, and was
therefore much surprised to see high,
rugged shores with no trees and
scarcely any green of any kind. 1t
took US until about nine to get to the
mouth Of the harbOr where a tender
met us and took us in. 1t was a beau
uful night and the ride up the harbor
was delightful. Then came the land
ing, and going through the Custom
House, most unique and we thought,
amusing experience. We were finally
ushered to the Queens hotel, over
looking the bay, and glad to go to rest
at twelve, on beds as hard as rocks.
canopied with lace and red cretonne,
quaint in the extreme. This morning
we awoke to find a day as cIoudless
and sky as blue as the most exact
ing could wish and our first glimpse
of the bay, in the sunlight from our
window was enchanting.
We ordered for breakfast what ap-
peared on the menu as plain Break
fast and consisted of coffee, bread
and butter and orange marmalade.
[ was eXtrayagant and adorned it
with two boiled eggs and was rallied
at by the rest of the party for my Law
ish expenditure. Thus fortified, we
went forth to see Queenstown. 1t is
on a steep side hill, the houses looking
as if they would tumble down on one
another like rows of ninepins. Many
of them had stone fences, covered with
ivy and English DAISIES, periwinkle
and all the green things you can think
of. The view from the top of the hill
after we had toiled up, rewarded us.
| cannot tell about it, have no words;
but try to imagine far stretches Of
blue water with islands here and
there, with picturesque buildings, and
rocky winding shores, boats of every
shape and size, either at anchor or
sailing about and above all the glo-
rious sky and flooding sunlight.
We wandered back stepping into a
cathedral on the way and were just
in time to take a boat up the river Lee
to Cork. That was an hours ride Il
shall never forget. Landing at Pat
rick's Bridge, we came to a new hotel
for lunch and then took jaunting car,
vehicle with two wheels and seats
at each side for two. We face out,
and are back to back and the driver
/ is just in front of us in a little high
seat. There are hundreds of them
about the streets ready to take one
everywhere. We held on tight at first
but soon got used to the motion and
enjoyed it. We drove through the
narrow streets, UP the steep hills, for
Cork is as billy as Queenstown, and
out into the beautiful country, along
the river Lee to Blarney, and then
went into the grounds of Barney
Castle; and such 4 carpet of ivy, clot-
ted with tiny flowers, blue, yellow,
purple and trees, such green full
leaved trees, and then the old castle!
We drove back another way, by
tina sched cottages and stretches of
fields divided by hedges, instead of
fences, and came into town through
very narrow street, down a steep
hill, and it fairly swarmed with the
dirtiest, raggedest children, and filthy
old women one ever saw, but pictur-
esque with it ALL
We passed st. Anne's church where
are THE Bells of Shandon, That sound
so grand On the River Lee" and final
ly back to the hotel to get ready for
supper.
1t is now half-past eight and yet
we are writing by daylight, the sun
having just disappeared over the tops
Of the hills. We feel as if we were
near the Land OF the Midnight Sun"
We left Cork on Monday morning
and went by rail to Bantry, then by
coach II miles to Glengariffe over
beautiful country, mountins on one
side and sea on the other. From there
by coach again for drive of ~ miles
to Killarney. We climbed up and up
the mountains over roads as smooth
and hard as any paved city street and
then began the descent, all the way
having the most fascinat ting views of
the hills and valleys, rocks covered
with the purple heather and fields Of
peat, ready cut for burning. The
roads are continual surprise they are
50 good. The mountain road was
wonderful, so smooth, and in many
places tunneled through rocks, and
they are kept in perfect repair.
All the way was humming to my
self the song "By Killarney's lakes
and fells." I have no words to fifty
describe the beauty of those lakes
and their Surroundings. After two
days and a half of delight we were
obliged to leave for Dublin. There we
went to st. Patrick's cathedral to SER
vice; it is the place where Dean Swift
and his Stella, are buried. and of
which he was at one time dean. It is
the first large cathedral we have seen
and is in many ways very beautiful.
The service was a full choral one,
very impressive, but like the simpler
service better.
20,