The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-07-07


his outbursts of temper. You would
hear him say something like this:
What IL pity it is that So-and-So
hasn't children-it would soften his
character so much" He was the most
brotherly of men in his sympathy With
his fellow beings, and his feeling about
women was one of chivalry that woulc
be regarded az weakness in the younger
generation in some classes of modern
life. The allusion 1 have quoted from
him with regard to children reveals
what was the true spring Of much of
the softness and tenderness of his later
years.
When he visited Oakland for the
first time he saw a little girl. who was
then scarcely out of school and short
clothes: he fell in love With her
promptly, and the feeling survived
taken, some obstacles on the par OF
the young ladys relatives. Never was
there more successful marriage. The
fretfulness, the dependency. the Wis
ionary side of Davitt were all correct
ed by this splendid helpmeet. who has
extraordinary courage. stability and
it was she who really kept Davitt alive
for many years of trial I have never
seen any of his children but | am told
they are beautiful, attractive bcirgs.
One of the worst SORROWS OF his life
was the death of a little girl whom he
worshiped; he would speak of hes
years after her death with poignant
sorrow, and the tragedy of the los.
was aggravated by the fact that the
child died while he was on the seas,
and the intelligence did not come TO
him till days after the death. when
the ship was carrying him to Aus-
tralia stopped for Il few hours at Co
lOmbo in Ceylon.
Intense family affection, indeed, was
one of the strongest features in Da
Wits character. He never ceased to
talk with alteration of his dead moth
or; you will see in his Will that he di-
rected. if he died in America, thar he
should be laid TO rest by her side in
her American grave.
have told in an article in the Daily
Telegraph, which was written years
ago, but was only published yesterday.
of IL little incident in the relations or
strong light on Davitt's character and
home. After he came home with his
nrm half torn from the socket in the
HaSlingden mill. IL curious drama was
rnacted-;, drama possible only in an
Irish home of the last era. The arm
was SO injured that the doctors at once
putatcd. The loss. however. of II limb
is IL thing from which the Irish peas
ants mind Shrinks with horror from
reasons connected with their ideas Of
spiritual life after death. us mucn as
from the manning i means during life
on earth. Poor us the Davitts we're.
poorer than thcmSclveS-;ind she. with
all the superstitioI& nf her country
untouched. even by years nf residence
in England, always warned the boy
against allowing his arm I" BE- ampu-
tatcd. and so running tn" risk of APP
,caring in heaven with that MANNED
figure. which was repellent to the luri
of Hosts aud I" the traditions of the
lighting warriors of tho west of Ire
land. For twelve days Davitt resisted
the appeals of the doctor and "f his
heart broken mother to- submit To the
operation. and, warned by the old SER
want that an attempt would be made
to drug him. he watched fcvcrishly and
detiantly for any attempt on the part
Of his mother or of III" doctor tu put
him under chlorofnrm.
In the end gallgrcnc was Threatened
and he had to- be- chlnrofnrmcu by
force. and the arm was anputatcd
With tears in his eyes. Davitt uSet
afterward to relate that he remained !;
whole year IN the small house his fam.
lily occupied without exchanging Il wore
with the Sorrowing mother, SO strong
and abiding was his resentment ut he
participation in the deprivation of hi:
arm.
may add to this stny that Davit
once said to me he would be glad I,
sleep on the earth floor of the littl'
kitchen in which his humble childh"n'
was spent If only he knew that III
mother was in the next room. Sh
WAS in prison. and that was one of III
worst SORROWS of that dreadful rpnc
in his life.
Davitt would talk quite freely of hi
prison life if you asked him Ia. Hi
stories were of IL very curious blend G
tragedy and cOmeuy--if not farce. T.
the very last Davitt was Il cheerful IN
sanguinc spirit: he had II very kee
sense OF humor: he loved even the fan
cical and he had wonderful powers !:
IL mimic and racontcur. once spel
week travelling with him in Italy.
was in many respects the best chant