The Irish standard., 1913-01-18
The Four Travellers,

| FRANCES Brown, the blind poetesS
who died in 1879, was born in Done
sal, Ireland. June IS. 1918. at Stran-
OAR. At the age Of eighteen months
/ she lost her sight from smallpox, and
AS she grew up her brothers and sis
tors read to her such books as they
; could procure. Her memory was most
remarkable and she learned with ex-
! traordinary rapdity. From the time
she was seven years old she was con-
! SANITY composing verses: but becom-
ing acquainted with the poetry of
POPE and Byron, SHE perceived her
: own inieriority and for some Years
abandoned verse making.
In 1871 she began to contribute tn
the Athenaeum, the editor Of which
necame interested in her story. and
introduced her to other periodicals. In
1914 she published a small volume,
The Star of .Atteghci and Other
Poems y which was well received, and
procured for her Il pension of 500
from Sir Robert Peel. then Prime
Minister to whom she dedicated her
next volume. the Legends of Ulster,
In lS41 appeared her Lyric and Mis-
cellaneous Poems" and about the
same time a prose story, The ILrick-
sens"
In lS47 she removed to E;dinburg.
accompanied by sister. who acted as
! her amanuensis, ard in 1852 took up
Fer residence in London. She was u
frequent contributor to various peri
odicals. In 1861 she published My
Share of the World" partially an au-
photography, and in 1864 novel en-
titled "rhe Hidden Sin" She died on
January is. 1879. at the age of sixty
one years. The following simple and
touching poem conveys an idea of her
style:
THE FOUR TRAVELLERS.
-Four travellers sat on Winters night
AT my fathers board so tree;
And he asked them why they left
their land,
And why they crossed the sea:
one said for bread, and one for gold
And one for a cause Of strife;
And one he came for IA lost loves
sake's,
TO lead "A strangers life.
They dwelt among our hamlets long
They learned each mountain way;
They shared our sports in the wood
lands green.
And by the crags so gay.
And they were brave by flood and fell
And they We're blithc in hall;
Eut he that led the strangers life.
Was blithcst of them all
Some said the grief of his. youth had
passed. o..
Some said his love grew cold; .-
But noueht know if this were so. W
For The tale was never told.
His mates they found both homes and
friends.
Their heads and hearts to rest
We saw their focks and fields in
crease
but We loved him still the best.
Now he that came to seek for bread
Is lord of my fathers land;
And he that fed so far from strife
Hath gooLly household band.
Hath welded my sister fair:
And the oaks are green and the pas
lures wide.
by their pleasant homcstcads there,
Eut when they meet by the Winters
fire,
Or beneath the bright woodbine,
Their talk is Vet Of n whelming stream
And a brave life given for mine.
For il grave by our mountain river
side,
Grows green this many a ycar--
Where the flower Of the four sleeps
eVerlnOre,
And l am Il stranger here.
How to Die.
\ young American woman not long
ago lay on her bed nf DEATH Turn
ing to the heart broken mother sit
ting beside her and vainly striving to
keep back the tears. she said:
Mother dear. YOU have seen to it
that l have been taught languages
and music, art and literature, and all
these things that go to make a fin
ished lady. but have not been taught
the one thing which 1 need SO badly