The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-01

till we milk the COW" If you request a
countryman 10 direct you TO any place he
Will turn and go with you.
We dismounted from the high jauntins
car, and before entering the house had "a
look at the general surroundings. In front
the land slopes down 10 The winding River
Bush, beyond which and above the rolling
knockladc hills the blue line of the Gull
tugh mountains faded into the sky The
fertile, well-cultivated fields which CON
stituted the farm are sheltered by haw-
thorn hedges.
In the farmyard are great stacks of peat
enough to last for the entire winter We
also noticed a one-horse farm cart and
farming implements of crude pattern Just
in front OF the door may be seen an old
fashioned churn. The house Is Just the
same to-day as IL was 100 years ago when
Francis Mckinley left il for the last time.
1t is of one story, with thatch roof and
thick stone walls-plastered and white
washed-which seem built to last for ages.
Adjoining the building is long line of
Office buildings, also of one story and
matched.
On entering the spacious farm kitchen.
with its low ceiling we found turf fire
blazing on the same hearthstone where
turf fire blazed 100 years ago. The three
legged pot and tea kettle, suspended by
chains boiled right merrly. To the right
may be seen the door of the cupboard,
ago On the left is a substantial home
made cradle, where many a sturdy son of
Ireland has been rocked. Suspended on O
rafter above the fire is an old flint gun,
a relic of the rebellion, and on one of the
beams we found the letters f. Mex. APP
parently burned into the bog oak. To the
right of the kitchen is a well-kept parlor
and bedroom, where Francis Mckinley
slept the night before his execution.
Il appears that the McKinleys had al
ways been well to do and influential, MEM
bers of the family having been prominent
in the ministry, the law and in the medical
profession Francis was fond of horses
and followed the hounds frequently. The
Mckinley family can be traced back easily
10 the time of Charles II, when "Shamus
Oge" was the head of the family. After
the execution of Francis Mckinley, the
place passed successfully TO his sons, John
and Francis. When the latter sailed for
America In 1898 IL passed TO James Fergu-
son and afterward. in 1885, to John Car
son, whose son Robert is the present
owner. Before mounting the jaunting car
1 picked up horseshoe, resolved to hand
il to the President as a souvenir from
his ancestral home. The old place looked
very picturesque as we left 1t, surrounded
by stacks of oats and piles of peat. At
this point 1 asked the driver to stop, and
getting over the fence picked up a sod
of turf which, l resolved, should accom-
pany the horseshoe.
The next place of interest to be visited
was Derrykeighau, so away we drove over
the Bush bridge and through Dervock,
with its old market house and winding
strahan. the most crooked stream in Ire
land then through a well-cultivated coun-
try, with comfortable farm houses. ana
soon we arrived at the picturesque grave
yard of Derrykeighan. How the lover of
antiquities would revel here, what secrets
those moss grown gravestones half-em-
bedded in the earth, could unfold The
church Is in ruins, the ivy clasps' the
erumbling walls i'm its close embrace, ana
where the vaulted roof echoed the voices
of the choristers, the stars now look down
on crumbhng graves
ION ruined towers from whose gray-lich-
ened walls wild grasses grow,
On roofless chapels, where the west wind
means IN ceaseless woe"
In this old graveyard is buried the mar
tyred Francis Mckinley.
Before leaving one more duty remained
to be performed, and that was to visit the
old market place at Coleraine. where Just
in front of the court house door. the exc.
cution took place.
Soon as crossed the ocean 1 had only
one thought. ] wanted to see the Presi-
dent and place in his hands the souvenirs
from his ancestral home which / had
taken with me. After arriving in New
| York l lost no time, but proceeded to
| Washington. Bent on my errand, about
| which, I must confess, my heart some
what misgave me, / started out for the
| White House, but my cab driver must
have been an Irishman, for he drove me
to the wrong place. He drew up before a
| fine looking building. l dismounted, and
on ascending the steps asked a gentleman
| If this was the White House. He smiled
1
| Washington. This is the capitol" At
length ! arrived at the White House,
mounted the marble steps with a fast
beating heart and approached the en-
trance. TO the inquiring look of the at
| tendant / answered: 81 would like to see
President Mckinley"
He shook his head and answered: THE
J President is very busy with his cabinet,
discussing the Maine disaster"
81 have a very interesting matter for
him to discuss. / replied.
| "Indeed?" and the usher eyed me Gu
riously, especially the little box in which
| l carried the horseshoe and peat! l fancy
he suspected dynamite.
How far do you Gomez"
"Oh. a little over 5000 miles"
"Where from?"
ireland"
From ireland? Turn to the left and
| walk upstairs" I did not require to be
told twice, and after mounting the stairs
| and traversiug a corridor, I found myself
| in a very large room, one portion of which
was raised three steps above the other.
I xxyae Tod