Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1898-12-03

for the proportion they bear to the male:
is not so large in Ireland as it is in Other
lands.
The boys, therefore, have often great
deal of difficulty in inducing the girls tC
agree to getting the words said," as the
marriage ceremony is colloquially de
scribed. In one case l have heard of, {
farm servant was told by the girl to whom
he proposed that she was too much at
tached to her mother and her mother tc
her to think of getting married. "Arrah
shure, no husband could equal my mother
in Kindness" said she. "Och, thin!" ex
claimed the boy, "be my wife and shure
we can all live together, and see that
don't bate yer mother" He could moi
have meant that he would ill-use the
mother-that was only his Irish way OF
putting things-for his declaration in
duced the girl to yield to his wishes. A
bashful youth Ia rather rare person in
Ireland, be it said, who was in love with
a girl, intrusted his proposal for her hand
to his sister. One day the maid visited
his fathers cabin. while he, with anxious
heart, hid behind the door, awaiting the
result. The girl, who did not care to be
wooed at second hand, replied with a
saucy toss of her head, Indeed, now, if
I'm good enough to be married, I'm good
enough to be axed." The boy then stuck
his head into the room and exclaimed,
with a sob in his voice, Mary, allanah,
will yez do what Maggie axed YEP"
When the day has been named,
whether by arrangement between the
boy and girl themselves or through the
intermediary of their parents, prepare
tons are made on the most extensive
scale, for a grand wedding. 1t is con-
sidered essential in the humblest cir
cles that, for the honor of the family
the guests at the wedding, which in
clude sometimes the whole of the coun-
tryside, should have lots of eating and
drinking-''lashins and LAWNS of
Everything" Closeness on such an &C.
casion is the .unforgivable social sin.
"Arrah, if l wor gettin married." l
have heard a woman exclaim when she
saw a poor display at a wedding, "Pd
sell every stitch TO my back and go
naked in order TO get married dacentlyw
A pretty Irish servant maid, who had
got married, called to see her mistress.
81 hear you are going to Australia with
your husband, Kitty" said the lady.
"Are you not afraid of such long
voyage?" "Well, ma'am, that's his
lookout" said Kitty. 81 belong to him
now, an if anything happens to ME,
shure it'll be his loss, not mine" But
there is not always that complete loss
of the wife's identity in the husband
which the above anecdote suggests. 1t
is the wife that rules the household in
rural Ireland. The husband surren-
ders to her all his earnings, to the utter
most farthing; an excellent arrange
ment for Pat, who, feeling the money
burning in his pocket, as he says him
self, is disposed to get rid of it rapidly;
and still more excellent arrangement
for the sake of the children. Bridget is,
indeed, Pats guardian angel. On many
a Saturday, when boy in Limerick,
have seen the long line of country
cars returning homeward from market
in the dusk of the summer evenings,
The wives driving and the husbands,
with drop taken," perhaps, quietly
in the straw behind.
There is a story told of a young lady
from Cork who was presented at the
Court, Dublin, shortly after
her marriage. The Viceroy has the
pleasant duty of kissing ON the cheek
he ladies presented him at a drawing
room; but when his Excellency was
about to give this young lady the regu-
alton salute she cried, "Oh, no, that
privilege is exclusively reserved for Mr..
0'Mahony."
Of course, there are exceptions to the
general serenity of the domestic hearth,
md the fond attachment between hus-
,and and wife. knew at least of one
in Limerick whose life was
made miserable by drunken wife. She
lad sold everything in the home for
rink, and as last resource she
threatened to commit suicide if money
o procure liquor we're not forthcoming.
Next morning, before proceeding to