The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-11-07
HWbeeI i'm ireland.
BY John III. Black.

along the lower side of the road, We
saw a moss-covered gravestone, and
when our eyes got used to the gloom
we made out a goodly number Of them
scattered around among the trees.
Both woods and tombstones We're too
old for us to tell which was the older
and the original owner of the land. l
never saw more favorable spot for
spooks; but as 1 do not believe in
ghosts, 1 got away from there before
ghost walking time. We left Glengariff
in the morning for Killarney and the
i journey turned out to be one of our
most trying experiences. The road
from Glengariff to Kenmare is over
the mountains. The first six miles out
of Glengariff is up hill. and mostly
unridable. 1t was raining before We
left the hotel; but after many wise OBJ
servations Boots" assured US that it
was only a morning shower and that
the day would be fine long before noon.
1t is well that we did not pass that
way again, for I am afraid we should
have been tempted to do some damage
to the weather bureau of that hotel
for he had mistaken a real Irish wet
day for morning shower and sent US
out into a rain that seemed not only
to come down. but to come up, ana
across, and swirl around US as a storm
center for more than three hours. A
thick mist settled down over the noun
tains, hiding all from our view except
a few rods of road before and behind
US, and a little patch of rough noun
tain on either side Of us. Above, be-
low. all about us, was trailing mist
and drifting fog. The road seemed TO
rest on mountains of mist, which rolled
away below and piled high about us-a
narrow way leading us up into the
clouds, till we were almost fearful that
we might wander away from earth INTO
some dizzy height in the heavens; and
in our disturbed frame of mind ana
bedraggled condition Of body. we felt
wholly unfit for any place but earth.
We trudged along, pushing our wheels
I'D the mountain for six muddy miles
till we came to Turner's Rock, where
the road passes through the top Of the
mountain by a tunnel about 200 yards
long On a day like this it was not
any too cheerful a prospect to enter a
long dark tunnel through which we
could lust see daylight; and although
il sheltered us from the rain, yet one
Of us, at least, was glad to get out of
the fearsome, hollow sounding cavern
into the rain again, for / prefer getting
wet to being under half a mountain
for an umbrella. The road passes
through three shorter tunnels far
ther on.
The guide books say the view from
the Kerry end of the tunnel-for we
pass from Cork to Kerry in the tunnel
lis magnificent, but we could not see
it. for it was Monday and Old Atlantic
had been up early and got her fieecy
washing stretched across the valleys
on this side of the mountain also; but
l. was a grand sight to look out on the
great ocean of rolling, drifting mist
which filled all the valleys and tralied
Here we began the long, sometimes
steep. descent toward Kenmare; and |
wild, dangerous ride it was; with the
rain beating upon US harder than ever.
we slid down the winding mountain
road. with rain capes flying behind us,
Tapping in the wind. like two great
water fowls skimming along the sea
of mud and water; and a slight accl-
dent might have sent us, wheels and |
all over the edge of the road. down
into the mist to the bottom of Ireland, |
or some worse place This soon brought /
us down below the clouds to earth |
again. where we could see a few acres |
of ireland and be sure we were still |
on the ould water-soaked sod.
Never did travellers cross the old !
suspension bridge into Kenmare with |
more thankful hearts than did we, and
never was the sign of the 'LansdoWne |
Arms more welcome. a blazing fire In |
our room. a good natured Boots" who |!
took the contract of drying our clothes
and serving dinner in our room made
us eomfortable-and almost happy
for several hours till train time; for
the eloquent descriptions in the guide /,
book of the road from Kenmare to Kill
larney-"the finest in Ireland were .
not enough to get us on our wheels /
.1s 1,n -
ceased. Early in the afternoon Boots |
reported that another American had |
come in off the mountain road in |
worse plight than we We're in; this |
cheered us up little, so sympathetic |
is human naturei But we felt like /
a apologizing for so un-Christian a feel |
ing after making the acquaintance of |
this American and enjoying his good |
cheer for day in Killarney, for it |
takes more than an Irish wet day to |
damp the spirits of this Mr.. S.
Continued next Week0