Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-09-12
By CHARLES eArreLL LOOMS.

BY CHARLES 5ATTELL LOOMS.
Rathmullan, County Donegal, Ire.
land-To a tired New Yorker who
has lG days at his disposal | would
recommend a day on Tough swiftly at
Rathmullan. 1t Is separated from the
Island of Manhattan by little else
than the Atlantic, and everyone
knows that a sea voyage is good for a
wearicd man.
Take a boat for Londonderry from
the foot of Twenty.fourth street and
then for the mere cost of a shilling
Of you travel third class and that is
The way to fall in with characters).
you will be %railroaded and ferried to
Rathmullan where you'l find as clean
an inn and as faithful service as
heart could wish. And such scenery
And everyone will be glad to see
you, because you are from America.
t'Welcome from the other side" and
a hearty hand grip from leathery
landsD
OF course 4 day is a short time in
which to get the full benefit of the
peaceful atmosphere Of the place end
perhaps you will stay on as We are
doing for several days.
Then you can return for a shilling
to Derry, take Saturdays steamer to
the foot of Twenty.fourth street, New
York, and youll soon be walking the
streets of the metropolis filled with
pleasant memories of one of natures
beauty spots.
Tough Swilly Is an arm of the At.
lantic and its waters are salt. At
Rathmullan the Tough is surrounded
b. lofty green hills, mostly treeless.
gently sloping to the water and for the
better part of the time softened in
tone by an Indian summer haze indie.
scribably beautiful.
We came down according to the
program | have outlined and trav.
eled third class for the reason | have
stated, but as the only other occupant
of the coach was a lone widow woman
we were unable to get any character.
istic conversation. In fact, up here in
Donegal. as far as | have observed,
the natives talk more like the Scotch
than they do like the Irish made
known to us by certain actors. When
! get south | expect to hear rich
brogues, but here the burr is Scotch.
We were ferried from Fahan in a
sidc.wheel steamer and soon the pain.
fully neat looking white houses of
Rathemullan lay before us and We dis.
embarked, and carrying our " grips
unmOlested "a sure sign of an unusual
place. we made our way up the stone
pier between restless steers who were
waiting for us to get out of the way
so that they could go to the %slaughte.
house. There had been a cattle fair
that day in Rathmullan.
We know little of the town save
p what Stephen Gwynn says of 1t in his
delightful Highways and Byways in
Donegal and Antrim
There is a most picturesque and ivy
grown ruin of an abbey dating back to
the fifteenth century. II is much more
beautiful than Kenilworth.
We bent our steps TO the plain look.
ing little inn and entering the tap
room We asked for lodgings for the
night. The inn is kept by a widow
who still bears traces of a beauty that
must have been transcendent in her
%girlhoOd. As it is she could serve as a
model to some artist for an ~allegori-
cal painting representing "Sorrowful
Ireland the arched eyebrows, the
melting eyes, the long, classic nose
and the grieving mouth-very Irish
and very lovely,
We have seen many pretty women
here in Ireland, but in her day this inn
keeper must have been the peer of
any.
Her husband kept the inn formerly
but as an lrishmau told me, He died
suddenly. Throuble with the head"
said lie, tapping his own, Twas
heart disease | think" This Is the
first Irish bull I've heard.
My companion thought he would
like a room fronting Tough Swilly and
so did !.
The maid who had taken charge of
us said that that wouldn't be possible
as the only available rooms having
such an outlook had been engaged by
wire.
But" said my insistent friend, who
Il the type of American who gets
what he wants by smiles If possible,
but who certainly gets 1t, they won't
be here to-day. will they?"
NO. not to-day: tomorrow"
Wen, let MS have the rooms for TO.
night
But will We give them up when
they Gomez" said she, still hesitating.
surely. Depend upon it. Count on
Is to vamOose just as oon as you
give the word"
But these people come every year"
said she tenaciously.
II don't wonder at It," said O'Don-
nell, CMy friend is Of Irish descent.)
Il would like too, If | didn't live so far
away. Don't you worry, honey. Wen
just go out like little lambs as soon
as you give the word"
We're passing on tomorrow and
will be just as careful of the rooms"
said O'Donnell in the ton of one who
talks to a child, and the pretty maid
succumbed and our valises were de.
posted in the coveted rooms
Friends in America had told ne
that I'd not fare very well in Ireland
except in the large towns. | would
like &C ask at what small hOtel-Naw
York or Chicago or PHILADELPHIA
would get as well cooked or as well
s, we'd a dinner as was brought to me
in Londonderry for three shillings and
six pence.
If II is looking for Waldorf mag
n%itlcenCe and French DISCUSSES he'll
not find them here unless It is at Dub
lin, but If n is blessed with a good
appetite and is willing to put up with
plain cooking | fancy he will do bet
ter here than at like hotels at home.
Ihn InluL- ~ -nnnuL- 1901 ...l--- .L..