The Irish standard., 1911-10-14
James Collins. who for almost

score OF years was the private Secre-
tary of Isaac Butt. contributes an in
teresting article to the Dublin and
Irish Summer Magazine" under the
title, "Reminiscences of Great Tri-
bune." The Great Tribune" is, of
course, Isaac Butt. The writer says
in part:
l remember sitting with Mr. Butt
in the alcove of the prison (kilmain-
ham) window, which overlooks EN-
met road, one summers evening to-
wards the fall of the season. The day
was drawing to close, the last rays
of the evening sun ginting up here
and there the foliage Of the trees
which were then opposite the Jail
walls. There seemed to hang around
an unusual langor or droWsness
such as is sometimes experienced after
a heavy summers day. All of sud
den there was borne along the eve
ning's air a weird, wailing cry, which
over both of US. Mr. Butt mechan-
cally closed the book which he held
in his hand he seemed spell-bound.
After Il few moments l asked him il
there was anything the matter with
him. At the sound of my voice he
reused himself, and in reply to my
,,.I,n I,nr
had heard any peculiar sound. In re-
ply said ! had. that | heard what
seemed the cry of some one in sor-
row. YES" he said "it is like the
cry Of an Irish keener."
The vail in the meantime became
more and more distinct. Both of us
were anxious to know its cause.
Standing up in the window recess, and
looking towards Richmond Barracks,
I at once learned what it was. 1t was
simply Il tIighlander's funeral. The
Scotch wall or di1ge was played upon
the Highland pipes whilst the cortege
was on it's way to BullN's Acre QAil-
MAINLAND. they used as military
burial ground. After the funeral pro-
cession had passed Mr.. Butt dropped
menced talking about his death and
the procedure he wished at his inter
mcnt. He word pictured to me the
spot he wished for his grave in the
,hurchyard at Stranorlar. Just by the
wall of the Manse which separated
i. from the graveyard where he spent
crossed this wall and studied his les
sons under the shade of a large tree
which stood close to it. He also
wished il possible, that at the time
Of his interment q keen would be sung
over his corpse, but he wished, above
all, that it should rain as he was be-
ing inferred.
During the years / was in Mr.. Butts
employment | noticed that he was Pc
culiar in some respects. For instance,
If by any chance in the hurry Of
dressing in the morning he turned his
shirt inside out he would not under
any circumstances dream of changing
1t, but would get over the difficulty by
purchasing second and have it cut
so that it would fit over the other. In
his study he would use only candles
known as WAX Two's"-two to the
pound. He used one of the candles
for the purpose of studying and the
other was generally utilized to light
the fire.
His veneration for the Blessed Virgin.
For an orthodox Protestant, Mr..
practices. On the desk in his study
he kept a small cross, which was
brought from Jerusalem by the late
John Aloysius Blake. NJ. p, and by the
side of the cross was always placed a
little book, which he greatly treas
ured, and used, entitled, "rhe Glories
OF Mary" which volume I have and
count amongst my treasures. I often
heard him, when reading the book,
express in the most endearing tones
his veneration for the Mother Of God.
He carried with him in a little pocket
, book three medals. I may add that the
medals were placed by him in the coat
which he wore while practicing at the
Bar, and when the terms closed and
the coat no longer in use, the little
Y pocketbook was taken away, and put
lin the frock coat which he generally
= wore. After his death, and when he
was lying in his coffin, happened to
come across the pocketbook contain
ing the medals, and, remembering how
Il fondly he was attached to them in life
BI thought it only right that they
should remain with him in death.
placed the little morocco casket
containing the medals under his head