The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-07-27

tell you that @St. Patrick SalQg tA6 SlisAhst !;
would get out tomorrow, but we all know
now that tomorrow never comes. me
poteen and such is, however, suft1c1 lent
" bad to induce the belief that If 9 per-
son were to partake too freely Of It he
would surely see this snake and a whole
lot Of others. The little river that flows
into Serpent Lake twists and turns IN
true serpentine fashion, and is said to
represent the track the snake made
when sauirming to Its heightened stay
in the lake region. \. ii
There is a celebrated echo in the pass
and for some time we had been followed
by men and boys with trumpets, who
offered to make the welkin ring for q
consideration, AZ reputable firm Of can
no-firers, who with their ordnance
work in con- junction with the echo, the
latter being a sleeping partner until
walked up by the noise OF the gun, sent
advance agents to us respectfully solicit
ing our patronage. They were echo.
makers to the nobility and gentry, SO OF
course we paid the shot @i.%
The pass itself is very grand and the
surrounding scenery exceedingly beau
tifrl. Purple Mountain, SO called,
strangely enough, because it is purple,
keeps constant watch over the traveller
through the gap. 1t is one of the most
lovely mountains anywhere to be seen,
the purple heather which gives it its
color being of a pure, delicate hue most
charming to look upon. Once over the
pass descent is made by a long, looped
road, reminding one Of Alpine scenes,
down into the Black Valley, a gloomy
gorge that fully justifies it's name. At
last we reach gate where we pony up
with the drivers, as the sign "He who
enters here leaves all ponies behind "
warns one that another stage Of the
journey has been completed.
It was the upper lake that we were
about to see, and the Herbert estate was
where we were admitted for considera-
tion. The money paid is said to go to-
ward keeping the lakes in repair. The
wear and tear of lake caused by small
boats going over it in this part of the
world is said to be som athing that we
Americans have no idea Of. We con-
cluded that the statement was correct
as to Its final clause.
The scenery is wild and rugged. In
one spot mountain called Eagles Nest
rises sheer from the waters edge 1000
feet into the air and it is sublime. 1t
takes two looks at least to see the whole
from base to summit. The stories that
4hese boatnen can tell us are wonderful,
and they are chock full of legendary
lore. One man pointed out the marks
on the solid rock where somebody and
his bride had jumped, and sure enough
there We're the gigantic footprints to
prove it. Let us hope that the lady WAS
not troubled with cold feet, for they
were big enough to lower the tempe1a-
ture over all the south of Ireland. We
soon came to a. bay with no visible out
let The boatman, knowing we were
Americans, asked us TO guess the way
Oltt and as we were none Of us able to
do so he was jubilant. Il
After shooting the rapids under the
old weir bridge, which our boatman
said were swifter and more dangerous
than any we had in Ameriky, we drew
up at Dinish Island, q scene of. truly
sylvan beauty, the like of which is not
to be found in many a long days ram
Bile. Here is the meeting Of the
waters''{not Moore's) celebrated in song
and story, while just round the corner
are the Colleen Bawn rocks and caves
made familiar to us by a, famous actor.
The middle lake has a quiet, soft beauty
Of it's own that is peaceful and comfort
ing after the more savage grandeur Or
the upper lake. Our course lies under the
fine bridge of the perfect arch and f1lto
the great lake until finally we are land
ed alt Ross Castle. . ~