The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-09-05
QUAINT IRISH CHARACTERS.
observation-disclosures" and How he
GaIned the Title.
From the London Globe.

From the Lonisn 6iohs
When this WORKOUT old century was
full of vigorous life folk loved laughter
more. The young were not ashamed o.
being young. and the old had grown old
cheerfully. and both found life fairly well
worth living In those days our town
could always find room for a chartered
fool, an honester scrt of Autolycus whose
wares were fer the mos. part quips and
crahks, and who made the staidest cti-
zen milestone for his wit. One of the
FIRST OF these departed ones who came
within my personal recollection is Robin
Ate-the-B luebag." Robin appeared upon
my horizon at that period of my young
life when I had JUS mastered my letters
ard new worlds had opened up TO my
childish philosophy. An intense reaiist.
my fictional folk all had their living and
familiar Representatives around me. Rob
in-Ate-tke Bluebag' was my Robinson
Crusoe. and this was no. solely on ac-
count OF the association OF names.
Robin was sturdy rogue. thiek-set and
bearded, He dressed the part" for he
wore huge cap Of goat-skin. rough and
ragged coat grit with rope around the
middle, and he wore his feet Eau naturel."
Sometimes ne affected as overcoat a
blanket fastened with great wooden
skewer. Robins patronymic was Skillen,
and he came by his curious nickname in
this way: Under the shadow of the gray
old cathedral there dwelt in these by
gene times one Mary Farrell, who gain
cd her livelihood at the wash-tub. One
day Robin Skillen. having assisted at the
operation of mangling, was invited to
dinner r.0 afa1 xn-if Jich of
potatoes dressed after popular local
recipe. IN the midst Of his meal Robin
cried, MARY, Mary, there's a wee kitten
0i:tten) in The champr' But closer inves-
tifation showed that Robin had narrowly
escaped swallowing the bluebag. Robin
had many passages with the police. He
was originally a mendicant pure and SIM
pie, but frequent incarceration bore in
upon him the eXpediency of discrimination.
He therefore procured a stock of lucffers
and became ostensibly g match-seller But
Robins hear: was never in mis- business
He only offered matches for sale when
the police were about. and then he used
to cry with ostentation, who will or
who dar dare buy a box of matches?"
He vas not withou; his share of thar gift
of repartee which belongs TO the people
VI Ms county DIS blit lVtiNNlEiS StDiy VIII
show:
Lord c., who lived in tie neighbcrhooj
had the reputation of being d "har-rd"
man. but he had one soft spot in his hea ri
he loved the grand old timber in his ar
cestral demesne, and would never suffer
one stick Of it to be cut. But his loTdshiD
went the way of all flesh, and the captain,
his son. entering upon his inheritance
found himself temporarily embarrassed.
He Immediately began to cut timber right
and left. One day Robin begged OF the
young lord. Captain" said he, using the
old familiar title, ''f0r the love OF God Civ
us a copper" and he followed, with his
fruiIless petition, 10 the door IF the Com
ty Club, where his lOrdship paused 10
speak TO an acquaintance. GLORY 10 youc
s0wl, captain, your honor" wnile1 Robin
monotonously. Spare rs a thrina." "Oh,
go TO h muttered his victim. iras-
chilly. as il to 90 to H. We naueI' YELL
ed Robin, with the whole street .o- an au-
dience. "All right, your honor, but begob
if | do I'll tell the old lord you're cutting
down the trees In the demesne."