The Irish standard., 1896-08-22
He Tells i'm a Racy Way of the
Men end Women He Has rlet
In His Career.
An Interesting Description Of Par
nell in His Hrivate and Pub
lie Relations.
Anecdotes of the Irish Chief and
John Dillon as Told by This
Close Observer.
Continued from Last Weekly

Continued from Last Week.
| had met Mr. Parnell some years be-
fore / entered Parliament, but had not
been intimate with him. I was extreme
ly shy-especially With those who were
in eminent public positions; and our
paths did not meet often enough to bring
us naturally together I think the first
time met him was about 1875, in the in
ner lobby of the House of Commons.
Among my companions at college were
DIR. Ward-then member for Galway
and gentleman who was beginning to
be we'll known at that time--and Mr..
Frank Hugh O'Donnell. ! think it was
either the one Or the other of these who
introduced me to MIR. Parnejl-probably
Mr.. O'DOnnell, who was acting with Mr..
Parnell at the time; DR.. Ward had never
much approved Of Mr.. ParnelTs policy.
and they had an open quarrel In the
House of Commons. The real inner his
tory of the quarrel was of a purely per-
sonal character-With which, however,
Mr.. Parnell had nothing to do, and which
I am not yet at liberty to tell.
Mr.. Pa11ell was just then beginning to
be known. He had carried on the FIRST
TWO or three of his aH-night sittings--I
believe it was In connection with that
very Transvaal which today, so many
years afterwards, is still giving us a,
great deal of trouble My first impression
of MI Parnell was one of surprise. Judg-
ing of him from the ferocious scenes III
which he had taken part In the House
of Commons, expected to find man OF
a vehement exterior and manner; instead
OF that, l found the tranquil. self-re-
pressed, almost icy man, who afterwards
became so we'll known a figure to all the
world. He spoke with the utmost calm
ness of those proceedings with which the
world was resounding Of the magnitude,
and of what, from the imaginative point
of view, may call the terror and splen-
dor, of what he had been doing he
seemed TO have no conceptions; or, If he
had any conception, it was entirely con-
ccaled. To strike with clenched hand
the august forehead of the Mother Of Par
iiaments-to set hinsef, with one or two
companions against the six, hundred
members who formed the House OF Com
nons-to do so not only without ellcour-
agelnent but even with strong d1sapprov-
al from his own leader and nearly every
cne of his own coileagues-aboVe an this,
to confront what represented all the
might, majesty and resources of a great
empire-tIis was a task which might
we'll excite any imagination and alright
even q very stout heart.
My own impression is that Mr.. Par
nell at the time did not fully appreciate
the magnitude Of his task. When he en-
tered Parliamentary life he was almost
entirely ignorant of history; and if there
were one history above another Of which
he was especially ignorant, 1t was proba-
bly, the history of Ireland. But he had
two gifts which are far higher than any
knowledge or training in polit1cs-he bad
unerring instinct, and he had tremendous
force of character. I have seen doubts
cast, both during his lifetime and since
his death, on the courage of Palnell. 1t
Is absurd. He was not reckless man:
he knew the fullness Of the danger he
ran when he had to run danger; aud he
was one of the bravast men who. ever
lived. Nobody who ever looked in his
face could have any doubts upon that
point. 1t was one of the most striking
faces have ever seen. The complexion
was very pallfd-I remember people used
TO apply to him in his early days the
phrase, tSea- green Incorruptille SEQ
ING some resemblance between his COM
plexion and looks and those of the great
French Terrorist. The nose was large
and finely chiselled; he had beautiful
and perfectly shaped forehead. The char
acter. however. was most plainly written
in the mouth and in the eyes. The mouth
I have seen compared, in it's tight and
resolute impression, to a rat-trap. When
he had moments of cold rage--which WIS
not often the case-the 1lnderlip seemed
to grow fuller and deeper; and there was
a. hoarse and almost feroclouS souno IN
the voice. ! remember on one occasion,
when he was leading an attack on the
Chief Secretary of the day OH some point
on which he felt very deeply, that one OF
his most ardent admirera looking at that
grim mouth and hearing that rancouS
note in his voice, and seeing the erect fig
ura and the menacing gesture, declared
that he almost gave one the impression OF
being an Inyincible-ready to slay his
enemies The eyes; we're small, inscrut-
able and very peculiar in color They
we're called brown in reality, they were
of that curious brownish red which Is the
color of flint. They usually seemed to
glitter out Of the pallid face.
I have always said that MIR. PaTneA
was more of an American than OF any
other nationality; though, curiously
enough, he never particularly cared about
going to America-the climate did not
suit him. I remember him expressing
intense relief at being at home in 1880,
when I met him in the House Of Conn
mons Just after his return from the Unit
ed States There is no place like nome,
he said with conviction. It was q saying
/ recalled often in the years that followed.
1t is quite true that he had gone through
experiences in the United States which
might well have turned the head of any hi
man. His progress through the country
had been more like that Of an emperor
than a private citizen; he had laid the
foundation Of a great movement, which I
Was destined to make hts cause trresistirSs
.blesfor many years; and ALREADY he /: had
lot substantial beginning Of the future
magnificent harvest in having received d as
scmetAihg like sixty or seventy 81
pound as.s;$ q. I; s.s 5g
Bnt, III this period Of life, Nh. Palrnslls
thought very little Of himself anu yMery M Z
ratok III hfs Ne had y:
s'el segses1.sfs s1