The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-08-30
QUAINT IRISH STORIES.
Aubrey De vere's Recollections Of
Childhood.

His Grandfather Buys Little Kingdom of
Kind Hearted Deed that Saved a Youth
from the Gallows.
Aubrey de We're, the Irish poet, has
written series of recollections, which
will be published in two parts in the
Century. The first portion, dealing
with his childhood and boyhood, is
printed in the September number, and
is full of quaint stories of the olden days
in Ireland. Mr.. de We're says:
My earliest recoilections are OF our
Irish home. Curragh Chase, and al
ways see it bathed as in summer sun
shine. 1t was not one, however, as it is
now. At the bottom of the lawn there
now spreads lake but at that time 1t
was rich meadow land, divided by slen-
der stream, with fair green hills beyond.
The pleasure ground n ow blends insensi-
bly, with the lawns and woods; but
had then wall around it, which, as
my fathers old friend and school fellow,
Sir Thomas Acland, said on visiting us,
when both had left youth behind, gave
a look of menastic seclusion. 1t was
then divided into four grassy places, as
smooth as velvet and bright with many
a flower bed. I can still see the deer park
and the deer bounding from brake to
brake of low spreading oak aud birch;
evenings at the gates of the long ash
avenue for their rural dance; and the
gay, though half bashful, confidence
with which some rosy, pretty peasant
girl would advance and drop courtesy
before one of our party, or some visitor
at the "big house," that courtesy being
an invitation to dance. There was also
a little open in the woods inl which the
neigh bors danced nor have l yet forgot
ten the vexation with which / found
myself once snatched up and carried
home to bed by one of those merry
maids whose tresses tossed in light, and
who lost little time in returning to the
revel.
1t was a time at which opposites of all
sorts oddly com bined. The country gen.
tlemen were then looked up to as 50
many little princes, and the poor would
have gladly adopted them as chiefs,
like those Of old, had they cared to ac-
cept that position. There was great famil1-
aritv in the intercourse of classes. 1t
was all strangely mixed with simplicity
of life. My grand mother drove about
the park with her four grays and an out
rider, while my father. with whom she
lived, had is four blacks and an outrider.
Yet dinner, which was at five O'Clock,
would have been far from satisfactory to
dinner-out OF the present day. What
stranger would have thought ostenta-
ton was often a necessity, for the roads
were genearlly carried over high hills.
l well remember my grandmother's
beautiful but mel ancholy black eyes,
her ways at once authoritative and affec-
tionate. and the reverence with which
she was regarded by all. Nor have /
forgotten her good night to us children:
God bless you, child. and make good
man of you" nor the loud laugh once
when the youngest OF us, not to be out
done in civility, responded: "God bless
you. grandmother, and make good
woman of you.
NV grandfather had no taste for duels.
At great public dinner, among the
"healths" proposed was that of Lord
Castlereagh, to whom my grandfather,
then a mem Der of the Irish parliament,
was known to have a special aversion.
All looked toward his seat, wondering
how he WOul1 meet Gne dilemma LOT Gne
refusal to drink to toast could then be
expiated only by a duel. The glasses
filled, he was the first to rise; he lifted
his own, and said: Here's to the
health of my Lord Castlereaghl" add
ing, with a significant expression OF
face, 1.-The Lord be troublesome to himn
NV grandfather always gave the sagest
advice to friend, but generally acted
himself from within. Once, when walk
ing in a London street, he passed a
room in which an auction was going on.
and, attracted by the noise, entered it.
The property set up for auction was the
Island of Lundy in the Bristol Channel.
He knew nothing whatsoever about it,
but when the iuctioneer proclaimed
that it had never paid either tax or
1.-THE. that it acknowledged neither king
nor parliament, nor law, civil or ecclesi-
astical, and that it's proprietor was pope
and emperor at once in his own scanty
domain, he made a bid, and the island
was knocked down to him. 1t turned
out good speculation. 1t paid its cost
by the sale of rabbits; and whenever