The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-07-15
ART AND
ESTHER
GRIFFIN 49,

quently much lauded doings of the
Cleveland administration, that less
than three months after assuming his
duties at this latter post he should
have been recalled, for both by cul-
ture and reputation, breeding and ex-
perience, he was most eminently fit
ed to represent this nation abroad.
Such men as Mr.. Piatt do honor to
their country which is too often dis
credited by the truly extraordinary
people who are to be found in various
portions Of the globe as representa-
tives of this great Republic, and it is
certainly deeper reflection upon sue
ceeding administrations that Mr.. Pr
att was not sent to some more lucra-
tive and eminent post. But Republics
are VIGOROUSLY ungrateful.
Mr.. Piatt was long associated with
many of the early writer's Of the Mid
die West, notably w. D. Howells, with
whom he renewed an earlier acquaint-
ance in Louisville in 1859 and in De-
eember Of that year joint volume of
their early verses appeared under the
title "Poems of Two Friends" That
this is held in high esteem by eollee-
tors is shown by the fact of copy
of this book having sold at one Of the
great sales Of Americana last Spring
in New York for SIS, which, eonsid-
ering that both poets are alive and
Mr.. Howells, at least, very much be-
fore the public at this time, was a
record price.
| During the stay of the Piatts in
Ireland they were much feted and
sought after by the writer's of that
country, one Of whom, Miss Katherine
lyman, writes Of their picturesque resi-
,dence near Cork "On the lands edge
facing the harbor mouth lies a gray
and beautiful old house, on the lawn
of which high flag post displays the
stars and stripes fluttering in the
wind; a homelike sight across three
miles Of water for the homesick
American gliding in the harbor or
out. "The Priory' is the
name of the ancient house where Mr..
and Mrs. Piatt have taken up their
abode and where had the good for
tune to visit them last summer. 1t is
very ancient, one of those houses
which have basked in the sun and
borne the sea winds for many a year !;
in which folk have been born and
loved and wed, have been glad and
sorry, and old and peaceful, and then
have died. 1t is essentially an Eng
lish built house, with high roof and
). dormer windows, all diamond paned ;
the ivy has wrapped it about, the Itch
, en- mellowed it's grayness, and when l
was there roses, white and pink,
foamed over the walls. It stretches
, itself blue on the seashore, while the
woods rise behind it and above it,
woods of horse chestnut, oak, and elm
and beech, carpeted with moss below
which in spring is by turns yellow
with the primrose of April, and blue
with the bluebells Of May. Dense
masses of shadow the trees make,
d. green and golden world for the wood s
people. The garden belonging to the
house is surrounded by wall high
enough for fortress and looking like
one form the sea,a garden in which ev
: erything is old and where vegetable!
: and roses and fruit neighbor eacl
other as they will. In front stretches
: the beautiful harbor with the Villages
on the opposite shore. And in tn
: summer afternoon the sea gulls whee
by screaming, and the cormoran
dives for his prey, and over the waite
comes the far away music of the sal
lors-singing as they raise the ancho
. mere nonsense songs they are, blu
is mellow into a strange yearning music
p exquisite and sad enough for the sing
W ing of an angel outside Paradise"
E, This quotation not only shows tn
TT beautiful picturesqueness Of the en-
}, vironment Of these two poets, but tn
If compelling charm Of the Celtic poet
i which envelops even a newspaper al
'e ticle. This description Of the home o
" the American poets by an Irish poe
ae detached, is the very refinement o
tie word painting. It has an enchant
=, ment which takes one by the throa
is and on canvas would be full Of colo
o. movement and pulsating sentiment.
,ul
81
:dI Mrs. Piatt, as has been said, is quit
as we'll known a poetic writer as he