River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-08-12

gether In apparently happy cOmpan-
ionship. To describe Blarney Castle
and its surroundings is beyond the
power Of my pen. All thai poets have
sung aud artists painted Of pastoral
beauty and romance are CONT ined in
its picturesque decay and situation.
The Barney Stone? YES, 1 REALLY
KISSED IT. though to accomplish the
feat was something of blow TO my
pedagogical dignity. Miss Pardee can
best recite it, as she was a locker on
and assistant in the effort. The old
woman who attends the ruin said not
one woman i'm fifty undertakes it. My
ambition was fired and did it.
To the Lakes of Killarney by the
Prince of Wales Route was our next
move. The distance by this route is
about 70 miles-about 50 miles by
coach. through country of wild and
surprising beauty. Now fertile, now
barren; by estates that show the
cultivation of centuries, and by cab
ins that our good Wisconsin farmers
would shame to keep their cows in
But everywhere the flowers: even in
the widest moors the heather is
beautiful. The yellow blossoms of
the gorse brighten the roadside, and
dainty forget-me-nots peep up at us
from their lowly habitatiOns. Stately
stalks of red fOxgloye nod at us from
the most barren and rocky sections as
well as in fertile places. Shamrock
seems less plentiful than | had ex-
pected.
All along the way we were be-
set by beggars. From every cabin
we passed came children running
along by the coach Offering flowers for
sale-raggcd, oh so ragged and dirty,
and plaintiyely moaning Something,
if you please" as they stretched out
their tiny, dirty hands. Old men and
old women, called down the blessings
of the Virgin upon us and then held
out their hands for money. A boy Of
u years, or Whereabouts, stood on his
head by the roadside for several min
utes and then held out his ragged cap
for contributions.
The beauty and grandeur and wild
ness of this ride is indescribable. Up
up and round and round through the
county of Cork; through a tunnel in
the mountains at the top, and we are
in county Kerry and begin the descent
to Killarney, as we do SO, passing
scenes of inspiring grandeur and en-
chanting loveliness. Toward the close
of the day we came in view of the
lakes, spread out like sheets of silver
in the hollow of the mountains. The
road is walled for miles and we drove
through avenues of trees whose
branches met above our heads. Every
turn of the road brought into view
scenes more picturesque than had be-
fore been seen. Familiar mountain
peaks were pointed out; neat cottages,
picturesque gate lodges and stately
mansions were seen along the way,
and amidst glamor of scenery never
dreamed of, we came to our abiding
place for the night. 1t would take
pages to describe our tour around the
lake. BY coach, on ponies, by boat
and again by coach, we Travelled the
circuit of q miles A day of ecstatic
experience. A magnificent panorama
of mountain, stream, valley and lakes.
A memory of enchanting echoes Of
Irish legends and the witty repartee
Of our Irish boatman. 1t was all our
imagiuations had pictured and our
hearts had craved.
Sunday at Killarney, then on to
Dublin, where much of interest
claimed our time and attention.
Dublin is a beautiful city, rich in
buildings of historic interest. Trinity
College, the old parliament house, St.
Patrick's Cathedral, Phoenix Park
and Martello Towers received our
visitations. A Judge of the Queens
bench, in powdered wig and black
green, caught our eyes one day. The
street cars, called trans, are two stOr-
les high, the upper deck being reached
by winding stairs at each end of the
cars. From these upper decks we gOJ
fine views of the city.
Onward to Belfast, stopping a day
at Drogheda to visit the scene of the
Battle Of the Bryne, a remarkable
tumulus, that suggests Druidical
rites, ruined Abbey and an old Mon
astery church yard, containing re-
markable old runic crosses and a
round tower of unknown origin. Our
drives that day in jaunting car were
through a country of remarkable
beauty and prosperity. We were
shown what are called Parnell Cot
tages-the result Of Charles Stuart
Parnells efforts for the poor. They
are neat stone buildings which, with a
fine garden, cost the tenant but a
shilling a week. In this region the
trees and flowers are luxuriant, wild
roses and honeysuckles especially
Astounding, and the landscape rich in
cultivated fields and pretty homes.
We came in sight Of the hill Of Lara,
the ancient seat of the kings of Ire
land. and the hill of Shane on which
St. Patrick lighted the first Pascal fire
in Ireland.
A short stop at Belfast enabled me
to see som ething of linen manufacture
and lace making, and discover the city
to be one Of fine public buildings and
elegant homes. Our next objective
was the Giants Causeway, about
which learned in childhood in the
old geography Of that olden time. We
reached the Causeway hotel at the
close of a raw, windy, rainy day. BY
the way, we have not had a day with
out rain since entering Ireland, but
this was especially disagreeable and
cold. Indeed we are quite far north
as the long twilights attest. 'Tis
quite light at nine o'clock, not real
dark at zen o'clock. The next morn
ing with a guide we started for the
Causeway, mile away. The sea was
wild and raging. 1t dashed upon the
broken coast with fury beyond de.
! scrintion. With the aid Of our guide