Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-12-05
The Last King Of LeinSter.
By EDMUND DowNEY.
tCop. night. 1895. by the Author.l
..rr A T,rr-rr.


IL would have been all very well, may
be, if he'd contented himself with the
Leinsther lasses, but he cast his cove
ehus eye on nice. fair haired young girl
who was the wife of a neighbor, Tier
nan O'Rorke, prince of Brefney.
Tis sthrange, sure enough, that fay
males, especially Numbers Of the quail
ity, are 50 aisily led away from their
nice, comfortable homes by some gall
yanther who manages to put the come
ther'' on 'em as aisily as you d slip a
halther round the neck of cart horse,
but tits too thrue all the same
The sthrangest thing of all about the
Princess of Brefney was that though she
had fine young man for husband,
an lashings of attn an drinkin an di-
vartin, plenty fine clothes an jewels
galore, she should be led astnray by
a gray headed ould yagabone like King
Dermot, who was about threescore years
of age, an had a voice, by all accounts.
as hoarse an ear splittin as steamboat 5
whistle.
OF coorse O'Rorke, the husband, like
many husband before an afther bin,
didn' t see whes was in the wind at the
start.
Anyhow, vance upon time, he in
vited King Dermot over to his palace to
spend week or so wud him, an never
dhramed for moment that monarch
so ould an so full of the cares of state
would be botherin his head about the
women folk at all
But, begor, it ought to be lesson to
husbands of all soorts, this business
about King Dermot Macmurrough and
the Princess Devorgilla, or tGilly' as
she was called for short by her friends
But, to make straight coorse wud
my story, the king of Leinsther started
off from his ancestral palace at Ferns
wan fine mornin for Brefney thravelin
first class. of coorse, an not throublin
himself TO bring any retinue or heavy
luggage wud him.
Prince Herman was waitin for his
royal friend ON the platform at Brief
ney, an he gev him a warm shake
hands, for he was proud to have the
king of the biggest province in Ireland
visitin him
Well, Tierny," says the monarch as
he passed through the station and gey
up the half of his return ticket, how
is all wud you:''
"Sthrong, answers the prince. IAN
how is yourself an all at homer
Purity fair, says the king. Il hope
your good wife is shakin off the could
she had in her head?'
"Oh, begor, she's as right as paint
now, says the prince. "Let me gev
You lift, says he as he saw King Mac
startin to mount the private outside car
which was i'll waitin at the station
'Arrah What do you take me for?'
axes the 60-year-ould boy, springin up
on the safe wud as much agility as if
he was only a youthful member of the
Royal Irish constabulary.
Faith, Prince Herman felt a bit non
plused ut havin shown that he was re-
gardin the king as an ould man that
wanted an odd helpin hand, so he said
nothin to his visithor, but turned to the
dhriver, who was standin at the horses
head, an cried:
Come, off with the nosebag, Mi
chael, an see if You can t do IL mile
au muir inrOI 10 the palace.
I'm make thry, sir, says Michael,
takin off the nosebag from the horse
an putin it into the we'll of the car An
then he mounted his safe, an. by me
word, it wasn't long until the princes
horse was clattherin along the high
road as fast as if he was comm home
from funeral
There was no demonstration or speech
ifyin or anything of that sort at the
RAILWAY station, for King Mac had axed
Prince Tiernan not to make a public
affair of his visit, an as the station was
miles away from the town of Brefney
las is usual wud RAILWAY stations in
these parts--there was no wan to dem
onsthrate to or speechify to except the
usual detachment of the Royal Irish.
I'm glad you kept your promise not
to have monsther meetin to welcome
me, says the king to the prince IF
there's wan thing hate more than am
other, it is to have TO put my bare head
out of a carriage window an heave
stirring of remarks 10 a crowd at u rail.
way station--but don't be talkin,"
says he. suddenly clapping the tips of
his fingers ON the rim of his crown
this is the miSchief's own throttin. an
the car ism too well springed, Tierny,
me boy. The crown is nearly shook off
me poll the way it's rockin
An faith il was a fine pace they wor
goinl Not content wud the whip, Mi
chael. the dhriver. was gevin the horse an
odd prod of the toe of his boot, an sar-
tinly twas great speed for rough cast
road
He's fresh this mornin, saws the
prince lightly, not purtendin he was
specially proud of the animals PAGES,
IAN my little crown is secure enough
wud n piece OF elastic stirring
4 can give your majesty bit Of cord
TO keep the crown safe. sir, " says Mi
chael, turnin round in his safe an adj
dhressin King Mae.
Don't throuble yourself. me man, !"
says the king haughtily for he didn't
IL. ~. -