Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1915-01-28

| it was during that dinner that Angeia
| FOR the first time really angered her
| father and raised barrier between
them that lasted until the day of his
death
The old man had laughed coarsely
at the remembrance of his speech on
the previous night and licked his lips
at the thought of it.
Monica, who was visiting her father
for few days. smiled in agreeable
sympathy. Nathaniel nodded cheer
fully.
From her fathers side Angela asked
quietly:
Have you ever been in Ireland. ia
ther?"
NO, / have not" answered the old
man sharply. And, what is more.
never intend to go there"
"Do you know anything about the
Irish?" persisted Angela.
DO L? More than the English gov
eminent does Don't l own land
there?'
II mean do you know anything about
the people?' insisted Angela.
Il know them to be a lot of thiev
ing. rascally scoundrels, too lazy to
work and too dishonest to pay their
way even when they have the money"
is that all you know?"
Isn't it enough?' His voice rose
shrily. It was the first time for years
any one had dared use those two hated
words ireland" and Irish" at his ia
BILE Angela must be checked and at
once
1T wouldn't be enough for me if
had the responsibilities and duties Of
a landlord. To be the owner of an
estate should be to act as the peoples
friend. their father, their adviser i'll
times Of plenty and their comrade i'll
times Of sorrow"
Indeed. And pray where did you
learn all that, miss?" asked the aston
ished parent.
Without noticing the interruption or
the question, Angela went on: why
deny country it's own government
when England is practically governed
by its countrymen? Is there any pc,
sition Of prominence today in England
that int filled by Irishmen? Think.
Our commander in chief is Irish: our
lord high admiral is Irish; there are
the defenses of the English in the
hands Of two Irishmen. and yet you
call them thieving and rascally scoun,
drels''
Kingsnorth tried to speak; Angela
raised her voice:
Turn to your judges-the lord chief
is an Irishman. Look at the house of
commons. Our laws are passed or de-
feated by the Irish vote, and yet SO
blindly ignorant and obstinate is our
insular prejudice that we refuse them
the favors they do us-governing them
selves as we'll as England
Kingsnorth looked at his daughter
aghast. Treason in his own house!
His child speaking the two most hated
Of all words at his own dinner table
and in laudatory terms He could
scarcely believe it. He looked at her
a moment and then thundered:
How dare you! How dare you'll"
Angela smiled a little amusedly toll
Grant smile as she looked frankly at
her father and answered.:
This is exactly the old fashioned
tone we English take to anything we
don't understand. And that is why
other countries are leaving us in the
race. There is a nation living within
a few hours journey from our doors.
yet millions Of English people are as
ignorant of them as if they lived in
Senegambia." She paused looked once
more straight into her fathers eyes
and said, And you. father, seem to
be as ignorant as the worst of them!''
"Angela!" cried her sister in hOr-
ror.
Nathaniel laughed good naturally.
leaned across to Angela and said:
II see our IL sister has been
reading she ~ tional magazines.
Yes?"
"I've done more than that" replied
Angela In Nice il month ago were
two English members of parliament
who had taken the trouble to visit the
country they were supposed to assist
in governing. They told me that a
condition of misery existed throughout
the whole of Ireland that was incredi
BILE under civilized government"
Radicals. eh?" snapped her father.
No: Conservatives. One Of them
had once held the office of chief secre-
tary for Ireland and was Irelands
most bitter prosecutor until he visited
the country. When he saw the
wretchedness of her people he stopped
his stringent methods and began cast
ing about for some way of lessening
the poor peoples torment"
THE more shame to him to talk like
that to Il girl. And. what's more. you
had no right to listen to him. Con
sentative indeed. A fine one he must
ber'
''He is. | don't see why the Liberal
party should have all the enlighten-
ment and the Conservative party ali
the bigotry."