Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-18
SOME FEW PLEASANTRIES
Passengers Met by Relatives and
Friends at Queenstown.
SCENE TOLD BY IRISH POETS
Little of the Ground Cultivated.
Value of the "Bogs" Of the
Country as Fuel.

| Value of the "Bogs" Of the
Country as Fuel.
| BY WILLIAM F.. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the
| Chicago Record Herald
| DUBLIN. June II, 1908
We didn't stop at Cork or go down to
1.-The lakes of Killarney as travellers usu-
ally do when they land at Queenstown
but hurried on to Dublin by the first
train. which, by the way. started at 6:S5
in the morning. to get my bearings. 10
present letters of introduction and to
learn thing or two before going into
the provinces. Dublin is the center OF
information. although it may not be the
center of activity in Ireland for the time
being, and all things are known and
understood here better than anywhere
else Furthermore. this Is critical
period in the history Of the island. Sew
eral reform movements of serious 1mpor-
lance have been inauguuted by the.
government and are still in the expert
mental stage To ascertain accurately
their rate of progress and their popu-
larity it is necessary that I should know
|
ton in each province.
A newspaper correspondent Is always
at the mercy of his informants. particu-
larly if he is in a strange land Inc
reader does not often think OF that. II
| he discovers a misrepresentation or an
blames the writer for carelessness or ac-
cuses him of unfair motives without con-
sidering that every reporter and cor
| respondent is compelled to rely upon the
ltruthfulness and the knowledge OF others.
An experienced reporter can apply the
personal equation to almost all his
| sources Of news, and usually is able to
make the proper allowance for personal
prejudice and the ordinary carelessness
| of statements. Few men can speak the
| truth 1t is remarkable how much half
a dozen honest people will vary In their
descriptions of the same scene or thelI
reports of the same event. Only trained
mind can give an. exact account of what
| the eyes may have seen or the ears may
have heard. Therefore. misrepresenta-
ton is due more to involuntary mac
curacy than to ignorance or malice
A Land of Controversy.
Ireland is land of controversy. 1t has
been said that no two people agree here
about anything. There are numberless
subjects of dispute today. as there always
have been and, It would be impossible
| to get unanimous vote upon any propo-
sition that is pending before the Irish
people; but I shall try to get as near
| the truth as can; to report what learn
and describe what see as accurately as
possible, without prejudice or PARTISAN
ship and in a disinterested spirit. 1
| have been kindly furnished with letters
| of Introduction to the leading representa-
tives of the various classes and political
| factions; to the officials of the govern
! ment to the hierarchy of the Roman
/ Catholic Church. to prominent dtvfnes OF
! other denominations. as well as TO Dusa-
of politics in various portions OF the
island so that 1t will not be difficult to
obtain the accounts of the situation from
| the various points of view.
| II is 1856 miles from Queenstown to Dub
| lin, and the railroad passes through sew
/ eral of the counties whose names are
most familiar to Americans. for they have
! furnished the greater portion or our
Irish immigrants-Cork. Limerick, Tip
perary, Queens and Kildare. Most of
the passengers who landed with us from
! the Baltic took the same train. and they
were SO many that they crowded the
| little railway station to overhowing ana
created a scene of lively confusion some
| of them had been met by brothers. fathers
sweethearts and friends, although they
| arrived two hours before daylight, and
| the hearty greetings and enthusiasm they
| showed were contagious. The sweet
made no secret of their attachments: The
demonstrations of affection left no doubt.
but all the world loves lover. and we
couldn't help rejoicing with them.
In the long line that stood before the
ticket sellers window at the railway sta
| ton they chartered uncOnsciously like SO
many sparrows. with their arms around
each other. an occasional embrace. a sly
kiss and slap to pay for 1t. tender ca,
| resses upon the shoulder or the head. and
| expressions of a happiness that could not
| have been concealed. The home-bred
| young men gazed with wonder and ad-
| miration at the finery worn by their
sweethearts from America. who. by the
way, although they came third class and
are undoubtedly chambermaids or shop
| girls in our cities. are the best looking
and the best dressed women we have yet
seen in ireland. The pride Of the parents
| at the appearance and the manners of
their sons or daughters showed that they
| appreciated the accomplishments that
American experience acquires.
Some of the Pleasantries.
| One of the younger passengers, boy Of
twenty years perhaps. told me that he
| had come over from Ohio especially to
persuade his father to send his two
younger brothers back with him. They
live in Tipperary. where there is no show
| for young man now"
! Another young man had tiny Ameri-
! can flag pinned to the lapel of his coat
and when said: You show your colors, -
| the lassie who chung to his arm turned to
me with a determined expression on her
| face and remarked:
.'Ill be takin' that of and pinnin' a
Il piece of green in its place very SOON"
NO, you don't darlin'; none o that.
he replied. I'm an American citizen and
| l don't care who knows it. If you don't
want to be one yourself. 1 know another
! girl who does.
t. And they laughed as If they appreciated
the point.
The country through which the railway
to Dublin runs gives a fair example OF
Irish scenery. l am told. AS far as
Cork the track follows the bank of the
| River Lee. which is Enclosed on either
side by a high ridge crowned with stately
mansions, glorious trees and handsome
gardens Several Of the places are his
toric, and the scenery has been frequently
described in verse by the Irish poets.
Father Prout. a local rhymemaker. has
described one of the villages as follows:
| The town Of Passage is both large and spacious
| And situated upon the say;
| IT'S nate and dacent and quite adjacent
|. To Cork a summers day.
There YOU may slip in and take dippin'
| Foremost the shippin' that at anchor ride,
Or in a wherry you can cross the ferry
To CarrigalOe on the other side.'
u-a could mt see mich from the cal