The day book. [volume], March 17, 1913, Image 6

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
"Aatl of course the 'trouble' began!
'Why iiot? '
"The ear 1846 is called the 't&jA
ine year.' Thai talk is trash. There
was no famine in Ireland. One crop
blighted and the landlords seized the
grain crops and gold them fd their
-rents, leaving the farmers td statue.
"To qualify fbf dUtddbr relief eVery
man in possession of land waS'to stir
render his leade to his landlords Coi'
oners' juries held inquests oh the
dead who had starved in ditched and
they returned, verdicts of 'murder
against the "government, but the gov-,
ernmentTJared hothmg for that.
"Some years-ago a neW-fdhfld did
friend, talking of 'the bad titt6B ask
ed me if I ever felt hunger, t told
him I had fldt7 but that I SUffe'red
far wdrse the degradation Into
which want and hunger reduce hu
man nature!
"For, one evening in Ross, when
3 went home to my dinner and found
none waiting, I remembered a penny
piece in my pdcket and I weht out
and bought a bUn with it. I stole to
the back df the hbUse and thievishly
ate that penny-bun without sharing
it with my niothef or my sisters or'
my brothers.
"I arri proud df my life dhe way or
another"; but that penny- bUri is a
thorn ih my pride!
"it appears I .am talking baek to
my childhood, but I will remain a
boy as long as I can. And the old
man's eyes flashed almdst ydUthf ul
ly for one quick second.
"Speaking of Patriots day celebra
tions, I dor?t know that I have the
.enthusiasm for them today that I had
in my school days. Many arid many
a time I drew blood from my fingers
to paint the Grosses We used in cele
b rating the seventeenth. The green
we got by gathering penny-royal
leaves in the garden, the yellows-lit
tie enough 'you may be surefrom
the. yolk df ah egg.
"That was 70 years ago. Holy Je
hosaphat! A man may Walk many
by-roads of Irish national politics iri
70 years! -
'YdiTll.hear hard words of the Fe
nians from these kid-glove parlia
mentarians these days. Ahf well, let
them talk! And when ail is said
add this:
"The Fenian drganizatidn did this
fdf Ireland in its dayit, in a great
measure, broke up the faetibn fights
and the J action parties, and got men
of both Sides td edhie tdgether and
work in friendly brotherhood for the
Irish cause.
",Why, the very women of Ireland
were with US itt the W6rk of organi
zation. 1 have kfidwtt yoUUg maids
Scores of them td refuse court
ship from ,men who would' not join
the Sdoiety.
it any wonder we grew!
-But my time grows shdrt. it is
10 years hdW Since the end first,
seemed near and. i was prepared for
death.
" 'father,' said I, I have aydying
request td make. Tell me today's
news from the Bder war; how are
the English there?' the good priest
said there was a terrific battle at Tu-gela-river
and the British army was
terribly cut up and defeated.
" 'Thank Odd,' said h 'that i have
that news to take with me. it will
be easy, now, ta die in peace!'
"BUt I've jut in 10 long years
hard yearsf-sinee. They tell me I'm
an did fire'-eater. Perhaps so. Only
remember this:
'Whatever cdmes to Ireland
through physical force or parliament
Ian refdrm, one mUst Jest IfcLwprth
by- thisl.RELAND, SHOULD gE
GOVERNbU AUUUKUirvu iuikiom
IDEAS."
M) 0
She (who has offered to hear little
Jdnes'pait in the coming theatricals)
-Now, what's your cue, Mr. Jones?
'Jones (puzzled) '-'My cue? She-'-Yes;
what they Bay JuBt' before ydu
cdme dh, you kttbW7 Jones-Oh; 1
see! They always-say, "Come Ira,
you silly goat, can't you?."" -