Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-02-27
NO STAGE IRISH
MEN IN IRELAND.
Dublin Canon Says That His
Countrymen Are Not the
testers of the World
few ROMANTIC MARRIAGES THERE
Marriages Are Arranged BY Parents
AS In France-The Irish Wife 10
the Receiver and the Dlsburser Of
the Family Income.

New York-The Mark Twain Of
Ireland, the man who writes some
of the cleverest fun now being pub
lished in English is making his first
visit to New York. Canon James
Owen Hannay, or George A. Birm-
ingham," the name by which thou
sands of appreciative American read
ers know him, stands almost alone
in describing the humorous Irishman
as he is, and not as some English
man or American thinks he ought to
be.
BY happy coincidence he dispels,
In his own person, the tradition of
the red-haired, ruby-nosed, rollicking
Irishman, against which his literary
lance is tilted Irish-born and bred
he is tall, slender, scholarly, most
quietly courteous in manner, and
very much the type of Forbes-Rob-
ertson, the English actor. A fugitive
twinkle in his blue eyes and slight
very slight-fondness for the letter
"R" are the only outward manifesto
VI SouhIy Mdgos liS was shS
Protestant rector of the pretty town
of Westport, in that county, before
going to ST. Patrick's cathedral, in
Dublin, the church to which he is
now attached.
But l am an Irishman and proud
of it," he insisted, smilingly. IF
I've written of the Irish with any
realism at all it's because I've gotten
close to them by being one of them.
THE English can never under
stand the Irish Sometimes an Eng
lishman regards us with scorn and
dislike. Often his feeling is puz-
zled, panied affection, severely
tried tolerance. Again, he has us
neatly catalogued as the worlds jes-
ters. The stage has done much to
foster this last conviction in him.
But never by any chance does he
understand US"
Meanwhile, don't you take wick
ed delight in playing up to his pre-
conceived ideas?" was suggested.
Canon Hannay grinned. 1--WE do"
he acknowledged. frankly.
81 must tell you a story told to me
by an English member of parliament
He was Liberal and Home Ruler,
deeply interested in the wrongs Of
Ireland. He made a special trip
across the Channel to inspect a large
girls school, primary school sup
ported by the government. OF course
his visit was known beforehand, and
everything went off beautifully.
Just before his departure he
stood among a group of little girls,
looking over their copy-books. In
bustled the manager of the inspec-
ton tour, an Irishman, of course.
Come, comet he exclaimed to the
M. P. You must come out of this
You mustn't hang around here all
day
Isn't he a tyrant!' exclaimed the
head master, who stood near. Then
he master turned to the children.
What is a tyrant.' he asked them.
Cant you tell our visitor?'
Yes encouraged the M. p, as
the children seemed to hesitate,
what is tyrant?
"'An English ruler piped up lit
tie girl in the front row.
"And | never dared tell that Eng
lishman how perfectly the whole
episode had been stage managed for
his benefit" Canon Hannay ended,
between chuckles. "He told me he
had never been so touched in his
life, that at last he felt himself
drawn close to the great heart of the
Irish people" ..,
There is hardly any flirting or
love-making between the young men
and women in Ireland continued
Canon Hannay: Marriages are ar
ranged by the parents; the plan be-
ing almost facsimile of that OBJ
served in France, And | am bound
to say that Irish marriages are usu-
ally very happy The young per-
sons settle down comfortably to-
gether and there is an absence of
the dscordant elements that crop
ont in so many of your unions.
The position of the Irish woman
In the family is quite remarkable.
Outside the large cities, she is in
variably the receiver and the dis
burser of the family income Great
Difference is paid to her opinions by
the other members of the household
have often seen grown-up sons
yield her complete obedience. If
she had the ballot she would have
little, il any, more power than she
has at present which is doubtless
why she is uninterested in votes for
women.
TN the cities the case is different"
Canon Hannay added. where there
Ia great body of working women
there is. naturally, strong demand
for suffrage. Personally. / have al.
ways been woman suffragist, sim
ply in the interest of common JUS
tice."