The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-11-21
A NEWSPAPER MAN
IN IRELAND
Mr.. William E. Curtis, Of the
Record-Herald of Chicago,
Describes 1t.
Name of God Constantly on
Lips of the Poor, but
Not Profanely.

rank good humor as the most promi-
nent. and that makes up for a gr Eat
many defeats. We have been on tina
island for nearly three months and
have visited more than half the coun-
ties. seeing good deal of both city
and country life and coming in con-
tact With all classes o. people, and it
is safe to say that no one has uttered
a cross or an unkind word to us. but
everywhere and under all cirum-
stances and from everybody have We
received a most cordial welcome and
the most courteous treatment. And
when we have asked questions which
many times must have seemed silly
and unnecessary to the people to whom
they were addressed. the replies have
always been polite and considerate
Irish retorts are proverbial. For
''reppartay" the race is famous. and
we have had numerous illustrations.
Wit is spontaneous. 1t doesn't take
an Irishman long to frame an answer
and it is generally to the point. "Blar-
ney' is abundant Every old woman
calls you me lud" Or yer honor"
The insidious flattery that is used on
all occasions does no harm to TIE
siver or the receiver. 1t makes tn,
world brighter and happier, though it
may be flippant and insincere.
The man who always said the
meanest things in such a. charming
way" must have been an Irisfman. el-
though I do not remember to have
heard a mean thing said Of any body
over here. The Irish race are not dip
lomatic in their actions History de-
monstrates that. bu. NJ race Is
so much so in conversation. and the
tact and taffy shown in the treatment
Of strangers are admirable.
The Irish peasant does not wear his
heart upon his sleeve. He may be
frank and sincere in his expressions,
but II is quite as probable that he is
otherwise. He has the faculty Of con-
cealing the bitterest malice under the
gentlest smiles and fattering compli-
ments.
The pleasant way in which questions
are answered is very gratifying, esre-
cially to a stranger. You never hea-
gruff word in Ireland. An English
man is brutality abrupt. but the Irish
are always agreeable. The other day
when asked the guard Of a. railway
train how soon it would start. he re-
Piled promptly:
Not till yer honor is aboard. sir"
When I complained to the hotel por =
ter that it was raining all the time
in ireland. he replied alphabetically.
But it's such a gentle rain. sir"
Some of the retorts you hear from
the common people arc highly poetic.
from an old woman in the street the
other day she replied: God bless
your kind heart, sir: your mother must
have been a. saint"
Good luck to your ladyship's happy
face this morning" was the greeting
Of an old bag to my daughter.
oh let me poor eyes look at ye
me lady, and your voice is az swate
as your face"
Sometimes there is a. tinge Of sar-
casm, as When an old bag asked.
Won't yer lordship. buy an old WON
ans prayers for a penny: that's
chape.'' ....
1.-THE hivins be your bed. me dar-
I'm" was the way an old beggar wo-
man expressed her thanks.
Sir Walter Scott says: Il gave a
fellow a shilling on one occasion when
a sixpence was the proper fee
Remember you owe me a sxpence.
Pat said.
MAY yer honor live till pay ye!' 4"
When he was leaving the ruins Of
the Seven Churches at Glcnalougl,,
Lord Plunkett, his escort. whispered tn
| the custodian:
That's Sir Walter Scott; he's a
great poet"
"Divil a Bit was the reply. "ha s
an honorable gintleman. an he gave
me half a crown"-when the fee was a
shilling.
Very often we hear poetic EXPIRE;
sions from the most unexpected
sources. AS we were driving down to
Ballyhack from Waterford, the jaunt-
ing car driver pointed at a, mile stone
with his whip and remarked:
| THE most lonestaoe thing in Ire
land; without anotnsr Of it's kind with
in a mile or it,
The common use Of the name Of tn"
Creator is often shocking to strangers
and seems blasphemous, but it is IA
unconscious habit The word is con.