The Irish standard., 1900-10-06
The Tourists Riding on Ponies in
the Gap of Dunloe.
VISIT TO KATE KEARNEY's COTTAGE
An English Bicyclist of Strong
Racial Prejudices.
TRUE TO ANdLo-sAxoN INSTINCTS
Interesting Observations by an
American Traveller.

Interesting Observations by an
American Traveller.
Killarney, IL name derived from an
Irish word meaning "church of the
sloes." is small town of about six
thousand inhabitants, mostly of the
poorer classes, deriving their subsist-
ence mainly from those who visit the
lakes during the season, says John
Woods in the Providence Visitor.
There We're iron smelling works in
the place some years ago, but their
fires were extinguished many years
since. Boatmen, carmen, guides, ar
lists in arbutus wood and beggars do
what work is done there to-day. The
Catholic Cathedral is the finest build
ing in the place, though still unfin-
ished. 1t is severe in appearance,
both inside and outside; the severity
of the interior is increased by the
great height of the walls, and the
kind Of stucco work which covers
those walls, relieved only by cold
gray stone. The carvings above the
affairs are rich and elaborate.
The large mansion of the Earl of
| Kenmare is the next building in point
of Importance: it is castellated
structure built of red sandstone. The
Earl spends part of the year in this
mansion, owns most of the good, val
uable land in the vicinity, and is
landlord of the poor or Indifferent
portion of it, which he does not care
to till or husband himself.
The School of Arts and Crafts.
which owes it's origin to the Viscount-
ess Castlerosse, is worth visit-very
fine wood carving is done there. The
Sisters of Mercy have a large con-
vent in the town, where very fine
lace work is produced, which has Il
ready sale.
After spending a few hours very
agreeably in the town examining the
shops, some of which are very good,
considering the style of the place, and
,i1,sr In, x,ylo 10 l>.>
seen, we returned to the hotel. AS 1t
was still early in the evening and
we had no desire to retire so
soon, We selected comfortable seat
under large sycamore and began
to exchange views on a days happen
! ings.
We were not long seated when we
were joined by an Englishman, who,
after few Introductory remarks on
the charms of the place, the purity of
the air, ETC., etc, proceeded to inform
us that he was touring the West of
Ireland, in company with two ladies,
on bicycles. We entered into CONVEX
sation with him and very soon it be-
came very animated. We passed
from one subject to another, winding
up with the Boer war and our own
impending Presidential election. The
Englishman was true to his English
instincts, and we had to admire the
skill and foresight which he dis.
played in determinedly upholding
everything English.
When the conversation began to
languish, as it usually does in such
encounters, the Englishman made an
attempt before quitting us to leave a
disagreeable stencil in our nOstrils
about Ireland and everything Irish.
And although he was circumspect in
his utterances, measured in his ex-
pressions, there was no Disgusting tn
meaning Of what he intended to con
vey. He began to tell us of an ex.
perience which lie and his lady friends
had that very day when cycling
through Glare on their way to Killar-
ney. In the heat Of the day they be-
came very thirsty and resolved to
make call ut one of the farm houses
for drink. From his story it is evil
dent they selected one Of the poorest
they could find. 1t was, he said, a
long, low, thatched house; they only
saw one apartment, the kitchen or
living room: how the others were ar
ranged or what was in them he could
not say. The part he saw was scru-
pulously clean; the pots, the tins and
vessels hanging On the wall were
clean; very large pot or cauldron
was boiling on the fire, hanging sus.
pended from an iron rod. There were
six pigs on the floor. The woman