St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-07-30
FATE BOUND UP IN A TREE.
Upon Its Life IL Said to Depend the
Existence 0f a Noble Family
In EngIand.

long before the title of earl of Howth
in the peerage Of Great Britain and Ire
land becomes extinct with the family
that bears it. This conclusion will full
fill an old prophecy in a manner curl.
ously complete. The earldom of Howth
little barony situated some ten miles
from Dublin, is one of the oldest in Ire
land. 1t was conferred originally by
Henry III. on one Sir Armoric Tristram,
who took the name of st. Lawrence,
and has remained in the family ever
since. The old castle, built in the time
of the first earl, is still the family seat.
Right opposite the facade of the
Howth castle there stands an elm tree
in the last stages of decrepitude. 1t is
leafiess, hollow and blasted, and would
have fallen long since were it not that
it is bolstered up with an encircling
wall of concrete and a multitude of
iron and wooden props. Upon this tot
terirg old tree depend the fortunes of
the Howth family. In the dark ages.
runs the legend, there lived somewhere
out in the west one Grace O'Malley, a
commonly known as Granville. One
day she decided to pay a visit to the
earl of Howth, and. with this intent, as
sumed her usual travelling garb of rags.
wrinkles and dirt. 1t happened that she
arrived at Howth castle at the hour of
dinner, and. naturally enough. admis-
sion was refused her. To show her dis
approval of the treatment she had met
with Granville waited around until she
had an opportunity of kidnapping the
heir, whom she carried off to her dis
tant home. refusing to restore him,
except on her own conditions. These
were as follows: That the gates of the
castle should always be kept open dur
ing the dinner hour. and that place at
the earl's table should always be kept
vacant for her-for, of course, she was
more or less immortal-in case she
should ever choose to appear without
giving warning.
The earl accepted the conditions and
received back his son, and as a token
of the covenant Granville planted the
elm. which. she said, would stand Just
as long as the earls kept their prom
Use and whose fall would be coincidenf
with the extinction of the family. The
gates were kept duly open. and the
place reserved until the time of the
present earl. who. being more interest
ed in race horses than legends. has
thought fit to discontinue the custom
Of the tree, however, he has taken the
greatest care. but. in spite of all ex-
traneous aid, it cannot last much long
er; nor need it, for the present earl Of
Howth is bachelor of 20 years, and the
last of his line. the heir presumptive.
Sir Kenelm ST. Lawrence. having died
some ten years ago under distressing
On the earl's death it
is probable that the estate will pass
into the hands of the Guinnesses, one
Of whom married Lord Howth's sister. |
Lady Henrietta. At any rate it is like
ly that somebody with due sense Of
The fitness of things will see that the |
supports are removed from the elm.
Another mysterious event which |
should accompany the death of the |
EARL is the appearance of the gray rat
which invariably shows itself when one
II the family is about to die or some
great misfortune threatens. The beast
was last reported. curiously enough, on
he occasion of Lady Henrietta's mar
-iage. and the manifestation cannot be
considered complimentary to Capt.
Guinness, the bridegroom. However,
t has never failed on the occasion of
! death in the family, and there is no
question but when Lord Howth's hour
comes there will be found some one
reverential to vouch for the
ats attention to business. n. Y.
Times.