The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-03-15

heavy with gold and topas.
AZ this season. or q little later, Eithne
removed 10 her eTtdAdN (summeI house,,
a cool, spacious garden dwelling Of wicker
work, matched entirely with the wings OF
white birds. The description Of the grianan
OF the Lady Crede third century,. from
Douglas Hyde's Literary History, Of, Ire
: viii answer fore glimpseo Of the LADY
Ethnes summer house too:
Within II are sllks and blue mantles; within
Il are red, gold and crystal cups. . OF
carved silver IL the Intel over the door.
Crede's chair 10 " . q blaze Of Alpine
gold At the foot Of her beautiful couch, a
splendid couch In full array made
by Tuils in the East adorned With yellow
gold and precious stones tbetveenD curtains
with graceful rods Of golden bronze.
Eithne's breakfast was deliclously whole.
some, oatmeal cooked In milk and served
with honey. After breakfast she and her
mother directed the household arrange
ments for the day and set the women At
their tasks Of spinning, weaving, seWing,
embroiderng. brewing. soap and pertu-
merry making, securing, sweeping, wash
ing and cooking.
The men servants we're directed by the
ohieftAin or his sons, or by IN appointed
TlMlOEuOOIut iu hlNtBHN IlT6 HO NAhu NNH
commanded by a woman, no woman COM
manded by q man. There was the most
perfect equality Of the seXes ever known
before or since.
II Rithne wished 10 become a lawyer
or a doctor the way was 40 open 10 her as TO
her brothers. whose studies she shared.
Airmeda, a woman, was one OF the most
renowned physicians Of the country In the
olden time; Brugalrd, another woman,
Was a lawyer Of extraordinary shrewd-
ness, whose pleas we're followed as prece-
dents centuries after her death.
Neither husband nor father. son nor
brother, interfered with the wishes OF
Eithne. Even after marriage she might
adopt a profession II she was 20 inclined,
She hada voice IN the control OF women at
the tets ASSEMBLY TO which no man was
admitted. She did not attend the councils
Of the men, but at the special feis for all
interests she was welcomed and heard
with respect.
The morning directions given. the ladies
spept the rest OF the day according 10 in
clination. II there was a hunt. Hthne, ike
a modern Inshwoman. rode 10 hounds with
the men. She soomed a quiet horse; her
mount was as mettleeome az the best OF
them, and she was in at the death Of the
wolf or the fox almost as soon as the great
~wolfhounds, even then the wonder OF all
foreign visitors,
Ethne's riding habit was dark purple;
a iaunty cap Of purple velvet ~gurmounted
her glorious head. OF velvet, too. was the
dilIdi (Saddle) fhnged with gold. The
bride Of a lady Of quality In Fire was rather
q costly tnhe. of the value Of twenty cows
II was inlaid with red enamel and Jet and
Dure gold. A section Of n OF these noh
brides 10 In the Dublin Museum.
HOuna fr0uN thn Nhana E1thnA HAFtOOk ~
etrvd 0unoheon), a simple meal Of bread
and eggs and milk with a salad Of wood
sorrel or watercress, and, by way Of dessert,
apples and hASslnuts. As 10 the custom
to-dayinall civilized countries the principal
meal was taken In the evening, and an eX-
cellent and modern sounding dinner Il
was, with soup, fresh salmon from the
Shannon OF the Boyne. roast lamb or beef
or pork. ~venison. ~woodoook, parsnipe, green
vegetables. salad. ourd cheese, currant
Jelly and torts (cakes Of wheat -four. milk,
honey and eggs. The drink was honey
mead, served In crystal cups banded with
silver.
without doubt golden Eithne took extra
pains with her dinner gown. which was
sometimes Of violet shot silk, bordered
with silver and otter trimmings. Green
does not appear - a typical Irish color
until the eighteenth century; the people Of
druidical and medieval times showed
q strong preference for blue IN every shade,
from sky color to purple, as did their kindred
In Scotland.
In her blue or violet robes. her marvellous
gold hair ~coronsted with studded gold,
her lovely white arms barred 10 the dlmpled
shoulder and banded with flexible armlets
OF virgin gold. her carefully polished topper
ing fingers SPARKLING with rings, the slender
gold tore Of a chieftain's daughter about
her neck. and the shlmmerinE necklace
OF river pearls swinging down 10 her golden
girdle, Ethne was a jewel. jewel eel.
AZ she looked at her beautiful reflection
IN the scatero shadow seer Ia mirror OF
Furnished bronze) the golden girl must
have known, as did her %chronicler, that
hard TO please we're the hero who did not
find her fair" Fair was she-fair haired,
fair Of face, NJ hands, Of arms, and the
delicate neck showing above her gold tore
was whittier than her pearls.
So much a man might know; deoolletaRe
was not onlyunfashionable. but sacrilegious;
II was punishable gels taboo TO look at
the bosom Of a woman. Moore tells a
story % old AZ PAGAN Fire In his well known
lyric 'Rich and Rare We're the Gems She
Wore The ancient Irish revered their
Ethnes.
The head Of anv important family was
constantly entertaining visitors, and the
daughter OF the house must have had a
ROYALTY good time. The h%abitAtiono Of
Kire were hospitnbls, spacious and open
for company and entertainment 20 remove
the hunger and gloom Of guests
Shipe from al nations were In the open
noTts! Fithus'S father PLAYED host 10 kins-
men and friends from ell the provinces
OF his own country, and from Britain and
AHA. and 10 foreigners from every part
Of Europe, and ever from Africa and tho
far Orient. Eithne might pick and choose
from A thnonR Of admirers; but the hero
who won The golden nh at last had athorny
path 30 traverse before he could gain 40
much - a long look from his imperous
lady.
found pride per.onihed IN the Lady Clara
Fithne OF the golden hair. wae a naughty
q a courteous aenuatntsnce, an
iptaFeated friend. g s=SStly shy lover, q
wife with the Celtic virtues OF the Douglas,
Tender and true '0h, but she was hard
70 Win, and oh, but che was worth the
HfteT the rnsst dinner In the dining hall
Of the ohieitain the bard OF the clan sang
and played the harp and the thdndchie mar
rator) fecited stirring tales Of war and OF
adventure beyond sess and glowing stories
of love. 10 please man and maid alike. Then
the lester came with quip and sally. enough
10 make q dead mar sI up ana lAugn, as
the old annals have Il,
The chieftain and his sons and quests
drank mead and played ohesa and eX-
changed man tan long after Eithne had
withdrawn for the nightly bath Of warm
water perhime6 with sweet herbs before
retiring 20 be mlled into healthful sumber
nv the nldn-trdipe (tleep music or lullaby
OF the accomplished slave woman.