The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1910-05-15

With the hope that 1t may servo the
purpose OF making the people grateful
| for the abundance that surrounds
their lives, Richard Ayers tells the
story OF the famine in Ireland, as he
recalls It.
There was a failure of the potato
crop. the mainstay of Ireland, in the
fall of 1876; the people had enough
laid by to enable them to get through
the winter, but with the spring Of
1S47 there came a famine which was
attended by disease, suffering and
death, and which made such a lasting
Impression on the mind OF Mr.. Ayers.
then boy Of 3, that. though his hair
ls white, the tears come TO his eyes
when he tells 1t, His father was in
business in Kilkse. County Clare. a
small village on Kilkee bay, pleasure
resort on the west coast OF Ireland.
There were horse racing, hurdle
matches. bathing and other amuse-
ments during the summer. and the
boys father did good business and
prospered. But 1t was credit busi-
ness. and with the famine came the
inability of the people TO meet their
bills. and Mr. Ayers, unable TO meet
his, had his stock taken from him and
his store was closed There was only
one thing 10 do, and that was TO come
to America, and he sailed for Canada.
with the purpose Of sending his vile
relief as soon as he had earned littlo
money. He left wife and four chill
dren. and shortly after he had gone
the fifth was born.
The mother went out every day as
long as she was able TO collect little
of the sums due her husband. but 1t
was useless. The people had no mon
.cy to pay. Four OF the children died
OF the privation and fever that attend
a famine. Richard Ayers recalls that
one morning he woke up and found his
four-year-old sister dead in bed. She
had died OF starvation There was
no money To buy a coffin. and friend
made a rough box out OF the shelving
In the store, and In this the child was
buried, Many who died IN this ter
ribIe period did not fare SO we'll; hun
dreds were put out OF their homes by
their landlords. and died In the streets.
and were carted to the graveyard and
buried without shroud or coffin.
A soup house WAS opened. and Rich
ard Ayers, says everyone was glad to
lay aside pride and stand in line for
n soup bowl ticket. A. T. Stewart,
the New York dry goods prince. sent
n shipload OF corn over. but travel
was slow in those days, and much
OF it was spoiled The boy OF this
story had few kernels which kept
life in him one day. and he recalls
three black days when he had nothing
TO eat at4all The Globe has always
contended that children never forget
kindness. One dny. when Richard
Ayers was on the street his uncle
came up and asked IL he were hungry.
OF course he WIS hungry; all OF Ire
land Was hungry in those days, and
his uncle took him into shop and
bought him large cake. something
like pancake. Il never forgot the
kindness" said Mr.. Ayers One day.
having exhausted every resource. Mrs.
Ayers took her only remaining child
by the hand and started with him TO
the poor house. The hospitals and
the poor houses were filled with the
sick and dying. and terrible tales had
como out OF the manner in which they
were treated. but it was the only ref
dhO iSlS " nNh tatg lCSlNiNu thS POOA
farm gate the boy hung back. Then,
overcome by fear, he turned and ran
back as fast as he could to the house
OF relative. where he found home.
The father, in the meantime. had
found employment In Canada al SIS
month. Think OF the bleakness OF de-
spair that must have come over a man
who was working for relief for stary-
ing family of six. and earning only SIS
month, il was In July lS4S. that he
sent for his wife and son. and they
we're six weeks and Ave days on the
sailing vessel coming over. The boat
wns filled with refugees and much
sickness resulted, the mother of Rich,
ard Ayers must have been a noble
soul Instead Of frctting over the four
little graves she had left behind she
turned brave face to the suffering
around her. and took care OF the sick
on board all the way over. On arriy-
ing in Canada, they made their home