The Irish Farmer
Would Think First How Much He Could Give The Landlord, And Would
Calculate To Live Somehow, Not As Any Human Beings Should Live, But
Somehow On The Balance."
This was his theory.
He denounced in no measured terms the union of
Church and State, blaming this for the prevalent unbelief.
In many parts of Ireland I have been taken for some one else. I have had
secrets whispered to me under the mistake that I was somebody else, and
words of warning given that were of no use to me, but the funniest of
all was on my way from Dublin to Belfast. At a station in Down, I think,
a gentleman got into our compartment who was in the good-natured stage
of tipsyness. He seemed to labor under the impression that I had, in
company with my brother, canvassed eagerly for Colonel Knox at the
Tyrone election. He felt called upon to tell me some home truths, the
bitterness of which he qualified with nods and smiles. "We bate your
Colonel Knox, mem, in spite of you and your brother. Thank God for the
ballot, mem, we can vote according to our own consciences, mem, not as
we're told as it used to be, mem. You and your party think you have all
the sense and learning and religion in Ireland, mem. All your religion
is in your song, 'We'll kick the Pope before us.' All your learning,
mem, is to hold up King William a decent man and abuse King James at the
Orange meetings in Scrabba where your brother speaks. You and your kind
need to know nothing but what happened in '98 and only one side of that.
What happens in '81, mem, you hold your noses too high to notice." In
this manner my tipsy friend ran on until the train stopped at Lisburn,
when he left with a parting benediction. "God bless you, mem, you're
better natured than I thought you were. May you go to heaven and that's
where your brother won't go in a hurry."
I had to go to Liverpool to catch the ship and so had to forego seeing
many things in Belfast which I had hoped to see. It was with some
gladness I saw the ship "Ontario" again. Having arrived before the other
cabin passengers I took the opportunity of going over the steerage with
Mr. Duffin, the excellent chief steward. The quarters for steerage
passengers were on the same deck as the saloon, as lofty and as well
ventilated. The berths were arranged in groups with an enclosed state
room to each. Single men by themselves, families by themselves, single
women by themselves and foreigners by themselves, every division having
their own conveniences for cleanliness and comfort. I am sure the
arrangements for steerage passengers on the "Ontario" would have
gladdened the heart of Miss Charlotte O'Brien.
I speak for myself, and I know I speak the sentiments of all the cabin
passengers, when I say that nothing could exceed the provisions made for
our comfort, or the courtesy and kindness shown by the captain and
officers of the "Ontario" to us all, both in saloon and steerage.
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