The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-12
AN IRISH CABIN.
Resembles in Many ways Minin-
ture NOah's Ark.

From the Westminster Gazette.
It was 6 oc.ock i'm the morning. and |
was sitting on wall. with the village OF
Dugort in Achill Island, in front OF me- |
was there for the purpose Of seeing the
animals come out of an Irish hut after
their nights rest
The village was filled with music as
sat upon the wall. Nearly every kind Of
British BIRD was singing, and the Al
lantic murmured on the Dugort strand
But the doors Of the cottages were closed,
and their inmates were asleep. | won
dered why | should not run away with a
pair of trousers which were hanging on a
door in the sun And | wondered what
was TO prevent me making off with a
spade and basket which lay near the road
The owners of these articles seemed to
assume that | was honest, which felt a
little strange.
Patiently. however, kept my eyes on the
cottage doors. And a last, about a quar-
ter post seven, one OF them was opened
Immedia tely three geese, eight goslings
six hens, fifteen chickens, two pigs and a
eat darted forth in the daylight. The
geese formed themselves In noisy pro-
ceasion to the nearest pond; the hens
gathered their families together in trimph
in field; the pigs, without any ado, be-
gan eating the first things they could DIS
cover and the cat, after moments hes
Hation, climbed on 20 the roof. Then the
door was closed again, and the family
arose and had breakfast. At least so |
should think. In any case, twenty min
utes later, man once more flung open
the entrance of the hut, and 10! four
COWS slowly marched forth on TO the road
And when two barefooted girls had driy
en- these away to pasture on the noun
81. ~
appeared, leading out the family horse.
Two somewhat dilatory sons followed, and
taking up the spade and basket which had
lain outside all night, they went after
their father to the daily work in the field.
And now romped out three small. children,
filled with the intention Of pla ying a game.
until they saw me looking at them. But
then they became as quiet as mice ana
stood wondering against the wall. After
these came two elder sisters carrying cloth
bags filled with books, and l watched
their bare feet tripping down the winding
road TO the national school And finally
emerged the strappng and bronzed moth
er. leading the faithful donkey loaded with
peat baskets, and followed by a gentle
dog with its muzzle on.
And | reflected as l went back hungry
70 breakfast that ffty-three animals were
a good many for a hut. When / returned
after breakfast l found that the goslings
nan cldmDered over Inc wall, ana three
little children were playing with them.
But very soon these children got tired Of
The gosllngs, and sat soemnly on the grass
wondering what TO do next. And then their
heads appeared over the top of the wall
They scrambled down on to the road and
began to make defantly for the duck pond,
and two Others were just on the brink.
Two little feet were already in This pond,
when 10! their mother saw them and called
out, as severe as the mountain that over
Swallowed thcm, Keep out of that pool,
nowp' 1T was a horrid pool. Such a one
as an ordinary man would deodorlze with
a pipe. And for years their mother had
been telling these children 10 keep out os
II. Now they crept very subdued into the
hut, and sat in disgrace with their toes
round the peat fire. There, too, their
grandmother was seated, her body ehak-
ing and her face withered with age. ! saw
her hll her pipe with ittle pieces of burn
ing wood Good graciousY' ] said, what
is she smoking2" "Only kipplns." the
mother answered She's finished her to-
bacco." she explained.
There were six children In the hut alto