The bulge made by the pistols she
carries was quite noticeable. "Arrah, why do you want to see either of
them," said a maiden to me. "Sure they both of thim drink like dragons" -
dragoons she meant, I suppose - "an' swear like troopers, an' fight like
cats." This was a queer bit of news to me. I did not take any notice of
it at that time; but, dear me, it is as common news as the paving
stories on the street.
Miss Gardiner is almost constantly at law with her tenants, lives in a
state of siege, maintains, at the cost of the country, an armed body
guard, and is doing her very best to embroil the country in her efforts
to clear the tenants off her property. At the Ballycastle petty sessions
a woman summoned by this lady for overholding, as they call it, appeared
by her son and pleaded that she had been illegally evicted. Miss
Gardiner told them they might do what they liked, but she must get her
house. Now this house never cost Miss Gardiner a farthing for repairs
nor for erection, and it is all the house the wretched creatures have,
and, of course, they hold to it as long as they are able. The priest
attempted to put in a word for the woman, and was unmercifully snubbed
by the bench. In Miss Gardiner's next case, the bench decided that the
service was illegal. Miss Gardiner then called out, "I now demand
possession of you in the presence of the court." The bench would not
accept this notice as legal. She had a great many cases and gained them
all but this one. This particular Sunday when I had the honor of seeing
her she was bound for Dublin on eviction business.
XXXI.
KILLALA - THE CANADIAN GRANT TO THE FAMINE FUND AND WHAT IT HAS DONE -
BALLYSAKEERY - THREE LANDLORDS - A LANDLORD'S INTERESTING STATEMENT.
I had the very great pleasure of a drive to the ancient town of
Killala, accompanied by the wife of the Rev. Mr. Armstrong, who
superintends the orphanage and the mission schools in connection with
the Presbyterian Church of Ballina. Killala is an old town with a gentle
flavor of decay about it. It has a round tower in good preservation, and
an ancient church. I was shown the point where the French landed at the
stirring time of war and rebellion.
It makes my heart glad to hear in so many places of the benefit the
Canadian grant has been to this suffering country. I heard with great
pleasure of fishing boats along the coast named Montreal, Toronto and
other Canadian names in affectionate remembrance of the Canadian dollars
that paid for them. This grant has been a means of convincing the people
that there is such a place as Canada.
