The morning call., 1894-12-30
ON THE ISLE OF MAN.
Its Ancient Costumes, Its Home-Rule
Government and Its IailIeSS Cats


The Isle OF Man is only thirty-three miles
long and twelve miles wide, so that it is not
great labor to get over IL; and. as two railroads
run-one north 30 south and the other east to
west-you can see how convenient il is TO the
visitor. Douglas. Port Erin. Reel and Ramsey
are the chief towns.
The Isle OF Man, while belonging to the Brit
iSh crown, is neither English, Scotch, Irish, nor
Welch, but is a separate country with a home
rule government and language OF its own, but
yet with great loyalty to the imperial govern
ment and devotion TO Queen Victoria, for every
where you go you see the picture of the royal
family. The government is known as the "housc
of keys" and consists OF twenty-four members,
elected every seven years, but no person has a
vote unless he possesses real estate OF
the value of e40 or occupation of
women are also entitled TO VOTE
The Court Of Tynwald. presided over by the
ell, which embraces the bishop, Attorney Gen.
eral, TWO Judges, the clerk OF the rolls, water
bailiff aud the vicar general. This council and
the house OF keys are the active government OF
lie great Isle of Man.
There is one feature OF special interest In
reference 10 the laws, and that Is that all laws
passed by the house of keys are sent for the
royal assent, and when that has been secured
them he law must be formally read 10 the Eng
lish and Manx languages on the Tynwald Hill
In the open air, where the council and the
KEYS united form Tynwald court, before they
become laws This form of reading the law at
Tynwald is the Oldest style on record; was old
in 1417, aud has continued ever since. The 9th
day of July in each year is the day of public
proclamation OF the laws passed by the mouse
OF keys
The coat of arms OF this isle is three legs of
q man in a circle. The motto translated reads:
'WhithersoeVer thrown l shall stand" The
Mansmen apparently rather enjoy the three
legged crest, for everywhere you turn your
face, whether at a steamboat, railroad,
coach, a flag or on the WINDOWS OF stores,
there you see the three legs.
had read OF the ManX cats without tails
and thought IL a joke, but, sure enough, the
cats here are without tails, and saw several
without that graceful member. Some ladies
of our party, who bad not seen the Manx cat,
were rather doubtful of the truth of our report,
and we had TO accompany them TO the house
where the cat lived, and after a close examina-
ZION came away believers In the tallless cat. I
don't think pussy Is improved by the absence
of the tail. Some people say this strange act OF
nature extends 70 the dogs also.
The Manx Language. like the ancient
language of Ireland, Is fast passing away, and
IN a generation it will be one OF the dead
languages, enjoyed only by scholars. / met an
old woman on the side of a mountain selling
milk, cakes and ginger ale, and after asking
some questions about the locality I learned
learning the Man1 language, and that only
the middle-aged and Old people spoke it. She
saio her children only spoke the English. /
was anxious TO get book in ManX, but
could not find one IN the stores. The old
woman referred TO showed me an old Bible
In Manx, which l Tried TO buy. but she said:
mo money could buy her Bible" 1t had be-
longed TO her father. l was sorry, but also
admired the old wOman's love for her old Bible
aud was glad to see that money could not
tempt her. though she was quite poor ana a few
Shilllngs would have been large sum for her
Gurse.-Chicago Times.