The Irish standard., 1896-12-05
&: A'y,ondale, !, the t Home 81 the Late
Charles Stewart Par
nell.
.---.- ---- - n - 5.1, .st..,
Everything About 1t Has a An Air
OF Gloom, and Sadness and
Desolation. -
John Parnell, the Occupant, Think
ing Out Plans for ;.. s
Ireland.

s. Ireland.
The Westminster Gazette publishes
the following interesting article under the
heading of 'Avondale." The writer says:
The one pervading influence of this
beautiful spot is melancholy. Perhaps 1t
issdiffcult to dissociate the place from the
sorrowful memories which linger around
the name of the late owner. But however
that may be, a feeling Of sadness and
gloom possessed me as drove up the av-
enue leading to the house-a spacious,
even in some measure a noble residence.
x There was an appearance of neglect "a
/, lCok,, indeed, as il death had been there,
d and as if his shadow still overhung the
stricken home
AS j alighted I was met at the door by
+ the present owner. Mr.. John Parnell- a
quiet, courteous, hospitable, kindly gentle
man. He, TOO. looked sad, thoughtful
I. and there was for a moment in his eyes
Il that far-away look which those who knew
Charles Stewart Parnell will never for
get. On entering the hall, which had
quite a baronial appearance in miniature,
there was a warm, pleasant feeling. There
wassno fire to be seen, but a genial COM
Portable atmosphere about made me at
4 once think Of what Parnell used often
4 to say. II like a warm house" In this
{ respect Avondale is perfect. Above the
hall is a little gallery, and hung around
!, are: momentos of the dead chief '1n the
!, old days. said Mr.. John Parnell, I'VE
I; used to have dances in this hall and the
band used to be playing in that gallery.
Il We fingered for while in the hail..
1t is one of the distinguishing character
!. istics of the Parnells that they seem to be
like no other people. They are absolutely
unconventional. They ali give you the
idea of having .preoccupations quite OUT
side their Immediate surroundings. How
often did one feel in walking with Parnell
that he really was unconscious OF your
presence that his thoughts were far; far
away from you and from anything OF
which you were thinking or talking. He
did not strike you at these moments as a
practical statesman. He looked vision
5ary, poe., a dreamer ofedFea ns-r--any-4
thing but the Charles Stewart Parnell that,
.thaans3eld knew him to be- Z ou feel that
these eyese, with their astonishing inward
look, took little notiee of ANYTHING that.
was going on around. But suddenly you
u Jaid some thing that specially fixed the at
Mention of the chief. He at once woke up,
4 tile eyes were turned full upon you, the.
whole body was swung around, and you
soon found that, not only had the lmme-
! date remark which had produced this et-
I, feet been fully taken in, but that all you
II had been saying for the past half hour
had been fully grasped and most thor
iOughly considered. Well, all the Parnells
have that preoccupied look that distln-
guished Charles, but they lack the practi-
cal skill and the genius which made him
famous ,..--,.~
r., ttn "
where there was an exceptionally warm,
agreeable atmosphere lin very pleasant
contrast to the damp outside, ,)but an mex
pressible air of sadness all the time.
There was absolute silence. The house
might have been almost deserted. In
deed, one felt as it one were being shown
over the castle or mansion OF great
chief who had passed away long ago, and
as if nothing had been touched since his
death. There was furniture, there were
bookcases and books all looking ancient,
all apparently belonging to another time.
In the hall hung picture OF the trlsh
house of commons. The scene painted
was an important debate-Curran was
addressing the house. Around sat Grat-
tan. Sir John Parnell, and other well
known figures of the day. But the memo
ries which this picture awakened did not,
as it were. belong more completely to the
past than did the memories awakened
in walking through the rooms at Avon
dale. We stood at the window. what
beautiful sigh! met our eyes! The mouse
stands on an e1ninence; around rise the
Wicklow hills, beneath runs the little r1v-
er Avonmore through glens and dells that
lead more delightful charm to glorious
scene For quite ten minutes we ex-
changed not word. II is the genius OF
the Parnel}s 10 invite silence and to sug-
gest thought I was thinking OF hoy
beautiful everything was and how sat.
I said at length exactly what thought.
GIFTS naost sad to wander through this
hause. and to think what might haYe
been" ~ 5.s
!. .Ah. yes said my host, Il often think
of that, too; but I was just now thinking
Of what is going to be. Can anyone get
us all orSssaf the present difficulty? When
will IrelanTte united again? We did not
al the moment follow up the subject. We
walked about the grounds and new
glirnpses of interest and beauty constantly
caught the eye. We passedAthrough
Ii wooded way close to the river s1de-7--a
delightfully."- solitary spot to cummnne
with oneself and to enjoy repose.. This,
.aid aid lain, awas Charles fayor;te walk.
+ He was fond Of .Avondals. There, IS 40
PLACE like Avof1daie - acK, &C Z, ne sWol.ln -!
say. 81. ,*5is r IS
I'VE met some people who had known
Charles when a lad, and all spoke of him hin
AZ bright boy, fond of sport, but quiet,
.stlloughtfuHy gent.e. '.You see 81 II, said =
%niddle-aged man who had played. hnrl
With John and Charles as boys, t'iff fts1Kas
!, S,onlys the picking up Of that piece of stick
lnoinling to the ground, y Master harIes
4 sSaould take about half an hour to sth hfnlk
sof. it., He never, sir, would do oSany ything
sat sonce, and when he grew UP 1T. was Just
tia same would sometimes ask shir'to t,
1i1a Eas some alteration about the place.
.T I'll think Of that, Jim, 4 he woil,d say
4 4 ,ld II sWo,Ild think he wollld forget aH
lsaid. But he would come; back n may be- ia
4 4 ms days, time and say,i:SssI have c0nsid.l
L erAd HE and would do what
4 81, VI bit
i.i III ISsys.ll, s ir, the
Sn,f faIS aunle tie ii he
!; el leo
p).