,Z9 CSE5 Tim Carty's Trial; 1^ OR, I Whistling at Landlords. <<_► n A PLAY FOR THE TIMES. By SISTER MARY FRANCIS CLARE. (the nun of kenmare.) ^^WtLC/^ NEW YORK: Stephen Mearns, Printer. 73 Barclay Street. 1886 m i B i Tim Carty'S Teial; OR, Whistling at Landlords, A PLAY FOR THE TIMES. / SISTER MARY FRANCIS CLARE. (the nun of kenmare.) J r ' Costs too much to bring it across the say. 14 TIM CARTYS TEIAL; 1st Man. Ah ! go on, man ! OTH Max, Faith he raiglit carry it with him all day and not feel the weiglit — 1st Man. Hould j-our tongues, boys. Mike's speaking up illegant to him. I gave him a glass of Guinness' stout afore he came in — 3nd Man. Thrue for ye, and shure it's the only stout thing ini all Ireland — f 1st Man. Oh ! boys, do whist ! I \ 3rd Man. Ah ! ])ad manners to ye, ye villains, and ye'r talk about the stout. That same built the Protestant church in Dublin — 2n.dMan. Which, man ? the portlier, or the manners? 1st Max. 3[y lord, we come to ask our rents — Loud Dkive-em-olt. {AhMc). That's just wiiat I want, if I could only get it from tlie blackguards. 1st Man. But, my lord, you know the bad years we havo had, four j'ears, my lord, one after the other ; and its hard on them that Iuas a family to keep — Lord Dkive-em-out. And, pray, sir, what have I to do with your family ? Its 3'our rent I want, sir, your rent ! 1st Man. Shure, your honor, we know that, and its early . and late we worked to give it to your honor, my lord, for many a long year, but I have eleven of them, my lord — Lord Drive-em-out. Go, drown them in the bog-hole, tlien. ^ Note. — The speech used on this pni^e by a landlord to a tenant who pleaded his large famil)^ as one cause of non-payment of rent was actually made. on, WIIISTLlyQ AT LAKDLORDS. 15 2nd Man, What ! im- lord, to take the life God almighty gave us to keep — \^The men ahrink hack in horror. 1st Max. Faith, that's enough for us, ni}- lord. 2nd Max. The Lord have mercy on us. Does he believe there's a God at all, at all ? 3rd Max. Och ! then, shure he's as good as committed eleven murders, but shure the quality can do anything. God help us I 4th Man. Shure its no wonder there's all them murders in England ; when they hould life so chape, killin' childer comes handy to them. 1st Man. Och! holy Saint Patrick, what did we ever do to get them English over us ? \All retire to tJie back of the Mage. {TJie priest enters and addresses Lord DRiVE-EM-our.) Father O'Sullivan. My lord, will you not even listen to these people ? They dare not enter the rent office to ask for a reduction from your agent, who says {he looks at Mr. Evictem,) you will not allow one farthing. Do you not know that these poor people would have died of starvation last winter only for public charity, only for munificent America ? You may not be ashamed to live on public charity, but they are ashamed. Lord Drive-em-out. And, pray, Mr. O'Sullivan, is this {with a sneer,) the morality you teach your people, to refuse to pay their lawful debts. It's a contract, sir ; a contract. I have kept mine and they must keep theirs. They are an idle lot, and want to live on charitv. 16 TIM OARTTB TRIAL; Father O'Sullivan. The taunt comes well from your lord- ship. Pray, what do you do to earn your bread ? and, pray, on whose charity are you living ? You are living on the charity of the Irish in America, my lord ; yon dare not deny it, and if 3'ou had one spark of manhood you would be ashamed. You get some £00,000 a year from your tenants here ; and, pra)% where do they get it to give you ? Well do you know that jou are living on the hard earnings of the Irish girls in America ; of poor girls and boys who send home their money to pay the rent for their fathers and mothers ; and what matter if you even spent it in Ireland. You know well you only come to Ireland to get your rents, and perhaps to save expenses, that you may have more money to spend in England, on 3'our pleasures and on your fashionable friends. If men like you could know shame, you would die with shame to be living on the public purse. (Lord Drive-em-out icalks about and gets excited during the latter part of this speech. ) Lord Drive-em-out. Nonsense, nonsense, sir ! They take my land, and they have a right to pay me fur it. Father O'Sullivan. A right to pay you, my lord, and when did they ever deny that right, and refuse to pay you, until they had no mone}^ to give. Have a care, my lord, 3'ou are quarreling with God now, not with man. If He withholds the sun and sends the tempest, how can they reap such a harvest as will pay you. God is on the side of justice, my lord, and if you expect from the poor what God has not given them, you are not on the side ot justice, or of God. Lord Drive-em-out. It's no use to talk any more. I made a contract with them. Father O'Sullivan. You made a contract with them, so did the devil with Eve. Your pardon if I use strong language. There are times when truth must not be dressed 'n courtesies. In sooth, truth dressed in courtesies is often smothered lies. OB, WHISTLINO AT LANDLORDS. 11 You made a contract with them ! my lord. Such a contract is made by force and fraud with famine and despair. When choice is absent, contract must be void. Oil ! w^liat a record of blaclv crime men go to liell witli, who rob tlie lioly poor. Let tliem disguise it as tliey may, God sees tlie nalied trutli. I pray, my lord, are you their only debtor ? How sickening is this cant of honesty and contract. You know well the honesty you Avant from your poor serfs. It is to give their all to you, and deny Iheir otlier creditors. It may do well for this world, but scarce- ly for the next. You English, once gave us a new religion, Avhich suited well your lusts. Scant talk there was of contract then, indeed ; you broke j'our every contract with your God. And- then 3'ou came to Erin, and did your evil best, by fire, and sword, and famine to make us do the same. And now, forsooth, you'd have us learn a new morality : to paj^ the landlord all, and leave the honest trader ruined and defrauded. I think j'ou know, my lord, we would not have your faith, and now we must decline your morals. Lord Dkive-em-out. My contract comes first, sir. I assure 5'ou, I want to keep on terms with the priests, if I can. Now, in England, it is fashionable. The Catholic papers are quite full of this subject. There's the Catholic State, sir ; the paper of quite the fashionable classes, the — ahem ! — few Catholics who are cultured ; and it quite takes our side. .Says landlords should be paid in full, every penny, sir, and before all other creditors, no matter who they are : goes on theological grounds, sir, and con- tract, and all that. You know, sir, when Mr. Happyrock and other fellows wanted to stop the evictions in the — a — time, you thought — said — I mean last winter — ah — that there was distress in Ireland, all the English Catholic peers came to the House of Lords and showed their good feeling by voting against 3'ou ; most of them had never voted in the House of Lords before, in fact, the)^ rarely ever come therefor any purpose. But they felt a great principle was at stake. Their social position in England required they should show how they disapproved of all this non- sens© about distress, and — and— all this dishonesty. 18 TIM C ARTY'S TRIAL; Father O'Sullivan. I am quite well aware of it, my lord. It may happen that I know a good deal more than your lordship does about this matter. I know, for i have seen the letter, that even some English Catholics tried to prevent help being sent to Ireland in her hour of need, even while they were getting thousands upon thousands from their fashionable penitents for a wealthy church in London. 1 know, too, that the same fashion- able Catholics did their best to make the distress appear as trifling as possible. It was not quite convenient to believe it ; while they admitted that Catholic ladies were lying awake at night, wondering how they were to get money, to pay for their costly dresses and jewels. But, I think, my lord, they are bad guides for you. We have heard a great deal of talk about the conversion of England, but we have seen much of its effect in Ireland. We hear English Catholics talk, and we know they write, as if they had a special mission to regulate every affair iti the world and especially in Ireland, as if the soul of a lord or a Protestant clergyman was of more consequence than the souls of thousands of our poor people. Perhaps if these great support- ers of Irish landlord oppression talked less like men of the world and acted more like Christians the conversion of England would not be so far off. Lord Drive-em-out. Oh ! well ; you know, it would be better for the priests to pull with the landlords. You see, in England, they go quite with the upper classes. I assure you, Mr. O'Sul- livan, in London the churches are so magnificent ; not like your wretched hovels here. Father O'Sullivan. Perhaps, my lord, we worship God as well in the wretched hovels, as you are pleased to call our Churches. I admit they are such too often in country places. Our people are too poor to build better ones ; and these wealthy Catholics, though they pride themselves on their own Churches, will do nothing for us. And, I know well, in England, how our poor people are scorned and despised if they go to the Chapels of the great English lords. We wonder little when we hear in OR, WHISTLING AT LANDLORDS. 19 Ireland of so many converts who have apostatized, and of so many fashionable Catholics who make mixed marriages ; but, my lord ; we have other work to do in Ireland. We may not be fashionable, or please the fashionable world but we keep our ancient faith. Lord Drive-em-out. Oh! jou can't expect me to like the Irish. I know they don't like me ; hate me, in fact. Father O'Sullivan. My lord ; you might have won their love for half the pains you took to earn their hate, and it would have served you better. You babble of ingratitude. Ingrati- tude, forsooth ! I pray you, say what j'ou have done to merit gratitude. What word, or look, or act of yours, has shown your love for them. They are but men ; and you, forsooth, while still reviling them, demand that they shall act like angels ; shall love you, serve you, give their lives for you, who hate them, like foul fiends. A truce, my lord, to all this folly ; or ere you dream, a stern, sharp end may come. You talk with scorn of these uncultured hinds. I pray you, sir ; what has your culture taught you ? If it has taught you mother-love, then let me quote a line from classic sources : Plautus says, that "the god's mills grind slowly, but exceeding small." Slowly, indeed; docs retribution come for sinful deeds, or else those men \\ho rob God's poor were damned in the act. Do you read Shakespeare, prince of poets, pride of Englisli bards? lie sa3's : "The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth like the gentle rain from Heaven upon the plain be- neath." I mean no idle quibble here, my lord ; but all the rain of mercy that we get from you is raising rents. The patient tiller of the barren earth must wait upon the rain of Heaven. But you, my lord ; will wait neither for God nor man. Such is your hateful greed for gold, you psss the craven Jew ! He asked but flesh and blood ; but you have strewn the grave- yards, and the Atlantic caves, with bones of men all exiled from their homes, because they would not make the barren earth yield all you chose to ask. 20 TIM CARTY'S TRIAL; Nay, I would ask, where shall the limit be ? At every turn of life you raise the rent. Are all times then so prosperous 'i How comes it that we never hear of a reduction ? Are seasons all the same; do cattle never die ? Are there not sickness, or plagues, or blights, that touch the poor man's purse? Are you to be his God, and bid him make for you gold out of nothing? For shame, my lord ! Is England christian still? Docs she believe the bible ? Once it was her boast to be a bible-loving race. But love doeth what love teacheth. If you love yowv bible, I pray you, do but what it asks. How says the great Apostle, James V You know his words. That "judgment without mercy shall be done to him that hath not mercy done." Where was your mercy in the famine time ? / ask you now ; one day you will be a-ked by God and all His angels! You tell us you love faith, and boast old England sends the light of truth to all the woild. I ask you where are your good works, and still I quote tuat book of which you say you read so much — of which we only a^k that you will keep its precepts. 'Twould seem, in truth, as if the great apostle never dreamed that man Avould do as you have done. How sternly he condemns the men who say to sister or to brother: "Go in peace; be warmed and filled, and gives them not the food or clothing that they need ;" but you, my lord, not only do what he condemns but add to it the further crime of ai^king from the naked, raiment ; from the starving, food. Who finds your costly fare ? Who finds the raiment rich, the jewels that you give not always to the pure? 'Tis true, you do not kill them. You only drive them from their poor, poor homes. The homes they love too well. Do you believe in God, or heaven, or hell, or in this bible ? {lie points to one conspicu- ously placed on the office table.) Did you give bread or clothes to these poor people when they starved ? Or, did you, at best, content j^ourself with "wishing" they were fed and clothed? You know, you dare not give your English dogs the food you give your Irish tenants. Go to, you say, make money for ray pleas- ures, I will give no straw nor help ; reclaim m}' land, I'll pay you with ejectments ; till barren rocks, I will reward you with a writ. Were you not made to starve and toil for me, your master? [He pauses a moment. OR, WHISTLING AT LANDLORDS. 21 {The Gloria in Excelsis or some sacred music might be sung h£re by a distant choir ^ at tlie conclusion the priest goes on.) Hark ! hark ! ray lord, I hear the solemn chants. The gentle Nuns doing what you have left undone for God and man repair your crime. But j'^et, the}'' cannot stand for j^ou in judgment, for each must answer for himself. These Nuns have fed the poor whom you have robbed. These Nuns have clothed the naked whom you stripped — j^es, put it as you will, the cnme is yours. You claim the land as yours, the people as your serfs. Then, if you claim them, feed your serfs, and clothe them. Lord Drive- em-out. I listened to your long discourse, though tiiere is little reason in it. These people are the robbers. I am not ; and all your charge is wasted on me. Father O'Sullivan. My lord, I never hoped my words would have effect. But, in virtue of my office, I must use them. If you will not obej-- your God, can mortal hope for hearing? You say these men have robbed you and 3'ou w^rite 3'our miser- able tales of falsehood to an English press, where you know none are to contradict you. There you are the judge and jury, and the verdict given all in one. How these men can rob you, when they do not give what they do not possess, passes my comprehen- sion. Why, what is left to them but life, and well you know, my lord, how many lives were sacrificed upon the altar of your greed — but I have done : I see that speech is useless. Too long these men have given you what they should have kept to feed and clothe their offspring. {Eater Two Nuns in haste.) 1st Nun. Oh ! father -, come. 2nd Nun. Come, come in haste. Two women by the way- side flung are dying. Two men are lying faint with loss of blood. [ The priest hastens out. 23 TIM C ARTY'S TRIAL; 1st Nun. My lord, I ask your pardon for this haste, but death will wait for no man. My lord, as I am here, oh ! let me say a word of pleading ; of pleading for yourself, and for God's poor. 'Tis hard to think that you can be so cruel. Do you know, my lord ; your foster-mother is evicted ? Do you know that she who held you in her patient arms, through all your in- fancy lies dying by the wayside ? {He starts.) And for what crime ? The crime of poverty ! 1 try to think that it is your ignorance, not a hard heart brings those evils on us. Alas ! you cannot know the wrongs and frauds. Knew you your mother ? Perchance, she died while you were young and left you to the care of other hands. Per- haps your heart was never touched by mother's love. And that you cannot feel so well as those who knew it once. Could you but see the sights we see, and hear the sounds we hear, each day, no sleep nor rest would come to you till you had justice done. It is not much we ask : not even merc}^ which you ask from God, but will not give to man. How will you at the last day dare to ask for mercy, when you will not give what is far less, strict justice. Your England boasts its bible; do you read it ? {She 2Muses a moment.) Put it as you will. Where do you get your daily food, but from these men ? They toil for it, with the big sweat drops on their brow. Your dainty hands, which only toil for their eviction death-warrants, are kept from labor by their toil, and then you turn and taunt them when they sink down by the wayside, broken with the work they did for you. You may stand well with the poor world, my lord, but think you, this will stand before God's angels. Oh ! you know it well, but you are lying to yourself and drinking doAvn the gall of evil. Alas! alas! alas! One day you must drink deep the wormwood of regret. To-day you let these men starve, while you feast. And by a black increasement of your guilt, you lie about their state, and try to keep all help from them. And why? because you know, my lord, you are the guilty oric ! You know if men in power in England knew all the truth, even they would scout you. OR, WHISTLING AT LANDLORDS. 23 (Lord Driye-em-out mutters something to liimself and turns over the leaves of a book impatuntly.) Yes, my lord, I hear you say all this "is woman's talk." What do they know of social science, or of politics ? Perhaps not much, and yet, we know the good God made us all. And He who came to die for us has given His life for all. And we poor Sisters give our lives for those He loved so well. We do but ask that you will do a little justice to God's poor. And, if a Sister pleads, 'tis not the first time in the history of God's Church. She may be taunted, and despised, because she tells the truth. But we can bear it ! Your bible tells how Esther dared the wrath of a most cruel king to save her people. Your bible tells, how she forgot her woman's weakness in her nation's wrongs. Have you not read how Deborah ordered a battle, and how Sisera fell by woman's hand, how by God's prophet she was blessed for her brave deed. No woman's shrinking there, of freeing Israel from a tyrant; and if such deeds are not for women in these Gospel times, still more are women bound to deeds of mercy. You talk, my lord, of men of Erin's creed, who in another land applaud your tyrannies, and condemn those who oppose them. Tell them, I pray, that Joan of Arc is all but canonized ; that of the saints who are, the holy Nun St. Catherine of Sienna stood with boldest front against oppressors. How she held sway twixt Guelph and Ghibeline, and how this Nun, bold in the strength of Heaven, withstood them all, and conquered for her God. Such mission is not mine, but I must do my part for Erin and for God. Oh ! would, my lord, I could prevail with you to do but common justice to God's poor and to yourself. [Exit Nuns. End of First Act. 24 TIM C ARTY'S TRIAL; ^CT II. Scene. — Mr. Happyrock is found in a wood, felling trees. The trees can easily be represented by large stems made le ; and we'll put half of them in jail and terrify the other half. 4th Voice. Oh ! oh ! oh ! I'm afraid the Pope won't do it. You see the Irish bishops are nearl}^ all for the people. 80 TIM C ARTY 8 TRIAL; (The landlords all attack each other with threatening gestures whtle singing. Each sings a line or part of a line and they all join in the chorus.) Chorus. Air. — " 'Twas you, sir ; 'tis true, sir." 'Twas yon, sir ; 'tis true, sir, I tell 3^011 nothing new, sir ; 'Twas you that got us in this fix. 'Twas you, sir ; you. Chorus. — No, sir ; no, sir ; No, no, no, no, sir ; 'Twas you that raised the tenants' rents. 'Twas you, sir ; you. Oh ! sir ; no, sir ; How can you talk up so, sir; 'Twas you put fines, sir, on the rent. Oh ! fie, sir ; fie ! No, sir; etc. No, sir ; no, sir ; I say it was not so, sir ; I only made them feed my dogs, That could not make a row, sir. No, sir ; etc. No, sir ; no, sir ; I am not such a fool, sir ; I only took their fowl and geese, That should not make a stir, sir. No, sir ; etc. OR, WHISTLING AT LANDLORDS, 31 Oh, sir ; oh, sir ; I fear we're all undone, sir ; AVe don't know how this thing will end, And we must cut and run, sir. No, sir ; etc. {AU run aboKt the stage wildly.) 1st. Voice. Why did you sell your lime so dear ? 2nd. Voice. Why did you raise your rent ? 3rd. Voice. And why, oh! ichy, with cent per cent. Could you not be content ? (All to each othei'.) Twas you, sir ; 'tis true, sir ; You wanted more and more, sir ; You bound your tenants hand and foot, And so made all this stir, sir. {Landlords form a half circle and continue singing and gesticiilailng violently at each other.) 'Twas you, sir ; 'tis true, sir ; I tell you nothing new, sir ; 'Twas 5'ou that raised the widows' rent. 'Twas you, sir ; you. Oh, sir; no, sir ; We're all in the one boat, sir ; And we must sink or float, sir. . 'Twas you, sir ; you. End of Second Act. oo TIM CARTTS TRIAL; 1 ACT III. Opening Song, Duett and Chorus. Air. — " The Whistling Thief.'' Landlord, When Pat came o'er the hill, Sir, I could plainly see, A whistle low and shrill, The signal w^as to be. I shouted out, police, Catch that young blackguard, sir. Pat. Och ! y'er honor ; 'twas only the wind, Was whistling up from the sea. Was whistling up from the sea. Landlord. You blackguard, 5'ou know the wind At my bidding should cease to blow, I've the power to loose and bind. All creatures here below, All creatures here below. Pat. That's thrue, but you know the wind Mightn't know 'twas a landlord spoke, And faith, I think the wind, Knows how many a lease you broke. Knows how many a lease you broke. L^.NDLORD. And then there's these dirty pigs. When I ride my bicycle down, Are always under my feet. In this dirty Irish town. OR, WHISTLING AT LANDLORDS. 38 How dare these pigs to run In the face of an agent ? mark — I'll have every pig of yours fined This night before it's dark.* {Dogs hark in tTie distance. ) Landlord. The dogs are barking now — They shall bark to another tune. Pat. Sure, your honor, the dogs will bark, Whenever they see tlie moon, Whenever they see the moon. Landlord, Is it these Irish hounds, When they know I'm lord of the place ; High treason it is to bark In my lord or the agent's face. In my lord or the agent's face. I'm not such a fool as you think, I know you're a rascal, Pat, You shall hang, j^ou whistling thief, I've made up my mind to that, I've made up my mind to that. I'll have none of these Land League tricks, They sha'nt play their pranks upon me ; I'm nearly astray in my mind, Myself and my family, Myself and my family. [Exit all. * A Fact. 34 TIM C ARTY' 8 TRIAL; Scene. — The Whistling Mite is hronght into court by two tery tall policemen, fully armed. He is placed in the dock, where nothing is to he seen of him, except tM very top> of his head. Mr. Justice (wants to be Lord Chancellor) is on the bench and natimdly ii'ishes to please the ''Fostering'"' government of IreJand^ and the acting government — the landlord''.'^. Mr. Wiley (wishes to be jud^-e Q. C.) leads for the crown, having been retained ''' sjiecial,''^ instructed by Mr. Costs, the crown solicitor. Mr. Fearless, who is not a Q. C, ojid indeed is never likely to be one, or a judge eitfter, defeyids the prisoner for the Land League, in- structed by Val. Dillon. There is « showy bar and. a long brief. Indictment is read out in court, after silence has been called by the Crier : Indictment. \^Whereas, on the {put in the day) in the year of (Irish) misery, 1886, the herein -named Patrick, otherwise called Pat and by his mother, ma bov.chal, known also by the surname of Hate the Saxon, so-called on the maternal side, did violently, fraudulently, diabolically, traitorously, hid- eously, malevolentl}'', persistently, practically, perpetually, perniciously, mercilessly, and cruelly whistle in the presence of the peaceful and humane tenant-farmer-exterminator, Mr. Rackrektem, J. P., and did thereby endanger the peace of our much-enduring lady, the queen, whose devotion to and love for her Irish subjects obliges her constantly to go to Scotland to weep in solitude over their miseries; and, WJiereas, her peace and life is plainly aimed at by this whistling in Cork, and in fact by the existence of the Irish everywhere; and, Whereas, the Irish are always showing their ingratitude to her by doing something, or causing something to be done which prevents her from extending to them her royal favor, as for example; WJiereas, of malice preforce and excited there- unto by the Land League, (the source of all evil), did compass and produce the death of her favorite and dearly beloved OR, WHISTLING AT LANDLORDS. 35 subject, the Earl of Baconside, at the very time that the Cork races were being carried out, so that her son, the Prince of Dublin was thereby, in consequence of the excesses of his, or her — I mean her and his grief, unable to come to the said races and was in fact obliged to run over to Paris instead, to the no small loss of her Irish subjects (and his own); and WJweas, the said Patrick, alias Pat, alias ma houcJial, alias Hate the Saxon, has done a most serious and malignant injury to her most dcvoted-to-Ireland Majesty the Queen, thereby endangering the loss of her patronage and affection for that wicked and ungrateful people; and, Whereas, the said Patrick, alias Pat, alias Hate the Saxon, has committed the fearful outrage and ingratitude of whistling at the aforesaid Mr. Rackrentem, J. P. , thereby causing him great mental per- turbation, and placing him in great phj'sical fear, and induc- ing heart disease, a disease hitherto unknown to that gentle- man, he not having been previously aware that he had such an organ ; and Whereas, he feels, and has been made to feel, mortal terror in consequence of the outrage committed on him by the said Pat, so that it may be truly said of him : My hair was grey, It now is white. It turned a shade With this terrible fright ; and, Wliereas, he has suffered severely in his vocal organs, from the exertion of calling the police to rescue him from this Pat or Patrick. The police being always and generall}'" never at the place where they are most wanted. The said Pat is to be tried by an uncommon jury selected by the landlord protectors of Ireland. {The Crier boxes to ilie Judge.) The Judge. Call the jury panel, sir. Crier, Tim O'Sullivan. 36 TIM CARTY'S TRIAL; Tim O'Sullivan. Here, sir Mr. "Wants-to-be-Judge Q. C. {objects) Tim is a member of the Land League, my lord. Judge. {Seriously addressing Tim.) Go down, sir ; you ought to be asliamed of 3''0urself, sir ; Land League, indeed. I'll make a Land League of you, and land you into Kilmainham jail, sir. Crier. Thomas Brownrigg. Thomas Brownrigg. Here, sir. Mr. Fearless. I object, my lord. He is rent-wamcr to Lord Evictem, and he would soon be evicted himself, if he gave evidence according to his conscience. Judge. Nonsense, sir ; nonsense. Lord Evictem is a most respectable gentleman. (Thomas Brownrigg is made foreman of the jury.) Crier. James McCarthy. James McCarthy. Here, sir. Mr. Wants-to-be-Judge. I object, my lord. His lordship sent some of his hounds to tliis fellow to rear for him and ho had the impudence to say he wanted every drop of milk he had for his children. Judge. Stand down, sir; you are quite unfit for the severe responsibility of such a case as this. Crier. John Mahoney. John Mahoney. Here, sir. OR, WHISTLING AT LANDLORDS. 37 Mr. Wants-to-be-Judge. {Hurriedly whispers to Judge.) Pass him, my lord ; pass liim. He is a souper — I, ahem — I mean, lie is a good Protestant. Mk. Fearless. My lord, I object. Judge. Sir, you have no business to object. Next time, sir; I presume, 3^ou will object to me. Voice m the Crowd. Faith and he might do worse. Judge. Silence, sir. Crier, see that the court is cleared. Put out every one; every one, I say, sir. Voice in the Crowd. Faith, my lord ; that's just what we want. If ye'd only begin with putting j^ourself out first. Judge. Hold your tongue, sir. Crier, I will report you, sir. Police, arrest that man. Policeman. Which man, my lord ? Judge. Silence, sir ; no one asked you to speak. {Addresses the crowd.) I Avill make a clean sweep of this court if one more word is said in it. Ma. WANTS-etc. My lord — A SHOUT IN THE CiiowD. Take him up, arrest him, police- man. {Along, loud ichistle.) Hurray boys. {General confusion.) (Pat, icish,ing to see the fun, peers out over the box and holds on with both hands so as to raise his head up over it. ) Judge. Policeman, turn that boy out instantly. Policeman. {Respectfully.) Which boy, my lord ? 38 TIM CARTY'S TRIAL; Judge. Put him out, I say. Am I to get ko respect here — even from the servants of the queen ? Little boys of his age should not be allowed into such a place. Voice in the CRO^yD. Thrue for your honor's worship. \ Boy's Mother in the Crowd. Ah ! thin, come to your mother, iiui houchal ; there's his honor's letting you off. Policeman. My lord, this boy is the prisoner. Judge. {^Mmtlet<) Why cannot I see him, sir ? Tell him to stand up, sir. I will not be treated this way ! Policeman. My lord — Please your lordship, he can't stand up — I mean — he is standing up. Voice in the Crowd. God save Ireland ! Chorus {puUide of Court House). Oh ! such a wretched country As this was never seen, For they're trying all our little boys, For whistling on the green, For whistling on the green. For they're trying all our little boys, For whistling on the green. {Tlie Judge leans back in his seat and lifts up his hands and eyes in pious grief ) Policeman. My lord, he is very small. He can't help it, my lord. Voice in the Crowd. Ah! thin, policeman, darlin', comb up his hair. Here's a comb, your honor. And sure, if you'd make OB, WHISTLING AT LANDLORDS, 39 it stand up straight, his honor's worship could see the hair of his head, anyway. Judge. {Sternly to Mr. WANTS-etc.) Go on witli your case, sir. Mr. WANTS-etc. My lord, the prisoner at the bar — I mean the child in the box — has been charged with the awful crime of whistling, and of whistling at a landlord. The words in the indictment are defamatory. Imagine, my lord, and gentlemen of the jury — (pauses). My lord, I believe we have not got a jury, after all, but it does not matter. The}^ are sure not to convict, and your lordship can pass sentence all the same — YoiCE IN THE Crowd. Glor}^ be to God, and sure he can. God help us it would be poor law if we'd be thried this way at the Day of Judgment. Mr. WANTS-etc. Of course, in a country like this, my lord; the law is habitually set at defiance — Voice in the Crowd. Och! thin ; but it's thrue for ye. Sure it's all agin the poor, and all for the rich. Och ! but y'erthe good gentleman entirely, entirely — Judge. Go on, sir ; go on. Don't mind interruptions. It doesn't matter ; in fact, nothing matters. {He settles himself to sleep. ) Mr. WANTS-etc. After your lordships profound remarks, which show such a high appreciation of law and justice, I will continue, though my words, I fear are super — fluous. This person — I mean — ahem — this young boy, requires a seri- ous lesson to sober him for life, and to teach him his duty in that state of life in which the English government has been pleased to place him. He must, indeed, be a dreadful, and a very hardened little boy, to have so terrified such a very nice gentleman ; to have produced in him a heart to beat for his own woes, if not for the woes of other people. My lord, if the hearts 40 TIM C ARTY'S TRIAL; of Irish landlords, I mean, of course, if the landlords of Irish hearts, are to be affected in this way, the sooner her most gracious majesty the queen is advised to give up the crown and constitu- tion the better. In fact, no constitution could stand this kind of work, and the only crown we would have Avould be a half crown. It is fearful to think what one wicked little boy can do, {Little hoy's head just looks over the box and pops down again.) Mr. WANTS-etc. My lord, as I was saying, when that bad boy looked at me, if the hearts of Irish landlords are to be affect- ed in this way — I tremble — I tremble, to think of the conse- quences. {He turns to the hoy.) Little boy, you have affected the heart of an Irish landlord. It is a physiological jDhenomenon to find a heart in such a quarter. In fact, the hearts of Irish land- lords haA^e been so frequently evicted by their owners and when not evicted so completely ossified from want of action that it was cruel to awake them. Indeed the words of the poet Moore might well be addressed to them, I'd mourn the hopes that leave me, If my rents had left me too, But while I keep my purse well filled, I can steel my heart anew — and so on, in fact, my lord ; a treatise has been written on the whole subject of the hearts of Irish landlords, by the late Mr. Cromwell and the revered Mr. Froude to both of whom, embraced in each others arms, a statue should be erected in Dublin. Indeed speaking of statues in Dublin, I understand the statue of justice placed at the Castle gates has its face turned away from the people* and that it is proposed to signalize the passing of this Bill for the protection of the lives and properties of Irish landlords by placing a statue of justice upside down in the law courts. I would also advise that a cast of this little boy should be taken before he is cast into jail, and kept to be handed down to posterity * A Fact. ORy WBISTLl^ra AT LANDLORDS, 41 for the benefit of his ancestors — I mean, of conrse, of his great: grand-childron's ancestors, to show how little boys behaved in this nineteenth century to their good and loving ''indlords. My lord, tears ought to flow. {Adde. I am sorry to say mine won't for Lord Dkive-em-out is looking at me) v»-hen one thhiks of what a pretty pass things have come to in Ireland. I am grieved, my lord, that an unkind Providence caused me to be born in this unhappy country, which I can plainl}^ see exists only that I may sell it and sever myself from it. I have digressed, my lord ; but I return to our original matter, or rather to the little lamb before us. When I was a little boy — Voice in the Crowd. Faith and sure you w^ere a beauty. Another Voice. I don't think it w^as milk his mother fed him on. Judge. {Tries to look resigned to anything.) Go on, sir ; go on. It doesn't matter ; in fact, nothing matters. Mr. WANTS-etc. My lord — my lord, I go back to the time when I was a little boy — Mr. Fearless. My lord, is it necessary for counsel to go into the history of his early years ? Judge. {Angry at being woke up, hamng just settled himself for a quiet doze.) Whose early years, sir ? I know nothing about early years, I had no early j^ears, sir. {To counsel.) Go on, sir ; go on, sir ; it does'nt matter ; in fact, nothing matters. Mr. WANTS-etc. As I was saying, my lord, when I met this unseemly interruption to my early years — when I was young — ( Voice in the crowd, singing softly. ) When I was young I had no sense, I bought a fiddle for eighteen pence, And all the tune that I could play, was Get the landlords out of my way, Och ! get the landlords out of my way. 43 TIM CARTYS TRIAL; {Judge slwnhers peacefully,) Mr. WANTS-etc. {Counsel folds his amis and addresses the crowa Qeiwralbj.) Very good, gentlemen, very good. When you are quite tinislied singing, I'll go on. Voice in the Crowd. Och, go on, yer honor ; yer doing it illegant. Mr. WANTS-etc. In my early years — Judge. ( Waking up. ) Ahem. What, sir ; I think— ahem — you might have got over j^our early j-ears, sir. I never had any, &ir ; but it docs not matter ; in fact, nothing matters. {Settles him- self to sleep again.) Mr. WANTS-etc. This little boy, my lord — Judge. I thought, sir; we had got past your boyhood's days — Voice in the Crowd. Thrue for ye, yer honor. Faith, he's past them long ago. 2nd Voice. Och, sure, he never began 'em. Judge. {Now tliorougldy aroused, and very angry.) Silence, every one of you. What use are the police ? Voice in the crowd. To court the girls, ye'r honour. 2nd Voice. That's over any wa}^; thegirls won't look at them, now they're doing the dirty work for the landlords. Judge. I'll stop the trial, sir, I'll bring the horse marines down here — I mean the cavalry and till the place with them next time I come to the assizes. I'll finif-h the case now myself. OB, WHISTLING AT LANDLORDS. 43 Mr. Fearless. My lord, surely you will allow me to address the court for the prisoner. Judge. I will not, sir. I'll not allow any addresses, sir. Too many addresses already from the Land League, sir. Stand down, sir — I mean, sit up, sir — but it doesn't matter ; in fact, nothing matters. Policeman, hold up that little boy, I mean the prisoner, sir. Voice in the Crowd. His mother'U hould him in her arms ye'r honor, while you're passing the sentence to let him off. Judge. Policeman put him on his head — I mean of course, let me see his head, — but it doesn't matter ; in fact, nothing matters. {Addresses the hoy, ulio is held up by his arms by twojMice- men.) Little boy, in the box, I mean, prisoner at the bar, you have, in fact, placed a bar to all your farther proceedings in life by your barbarous conduct to this gentleman, a humane tenant- farmer-exterminator, Mr. Rackrentem. Why little boys like you were ever born is a puzzle which 1 leave to — ahem, — Mr. Darwin. Li fact, why little boys are born at all in Ireland is a puzzle, because, as a very eminent and distinguished statistician observed the other day, if there were no little boys in Ireland there would be no men, and then our — I mean the English gov- ernment would not have the trouble of making laws for their extermination — I mean, of course, emigration, but it doesn't matter; in fact — ahem — nothing matters. Little boy, I really don't know what is to be done with you. If you had not been born — I mean, of course, if you had been born in England you would not have been Irish, and everything would have been different. Little English boys don't commit such — ahem — trifling ci-imes, they do something for which a judge can sentence them. It really is quite too absurd to be obliged to pass sentence on what I maj' be permitted to call a penny whistle. Why, little boy, were you born, and why, little boy, having been born, did you whistle ? A little English boy, not much older than you are, was tried the other day for murdering his mistress ; that was what I might call a sensible crime — I mean, of course, a sentenceable one, but it 44 TIM CARTT'8 TRIAL; doesn't matter ; in fact, nothing matters. He wasn't convicted. There being only a ' ' reasonable suspicion " of his guilt. In Eng- land, of course, this was no failure of justice, as neither boys nor men are allowed to be punished unless their guilt is made quite clear. In Ireland, it is happily diiferent. The kind and fostering government under which you are placed has arranged otherwise. In fact, 3'our foster-father has quite taken the place — locus parentis — counsel will understand me — of your natural guardians, or rather of your legal guardians, and altogether de- prived you of English law w^hich, of course, was never intended for you. This thoughtful and parental care has, I fear, been lost upon you. In Ireland, little boy, as you probably know, suspicion reasonable or unreasonable is quite sufficient. Such is the be- nevolence of your government — I mean, of course, of the way in which you are governed, but it doesn't matter ; in fact, nothing matters. Your father, I am told, by the gentleman whom you so cruelly insulted, has been the object of this special parental attention on the part of your good English foster-father. Oh ! little boy, I am ashamed of you ! I grieve for you — I weep to think of it. This excellent gentleman assured the priest of your parish, before the act for the protection of his life and property was passed that if all his tenants did not pay rents* he would take care the act should be put in force against them, and if they did pay him he would take care they should not suffer thereby. This was, of course, most humane on his part, but I regret to say, I deeply regret to say his humanity was not appreciated as it should have been. Your father actually refused to pay his rent. In fact, he had the insolence to say he had not got it. Two of his cows, he said, had died, and his daughter in America who had sent home money every year before to help to pay the rent, was ill. I would like to know how he dare offer such excuses. Why should his cows have died more than anyone else's cows, and why should his daughter have been ill. It is a — ahem — rascally outrage, and a specimen of the "way in which Irish tenants are always excusing themselves, when asked to pay their lawful debts. Your father was very properly arrested on suspicion. If he did not intend to refuse to pay his rent, he probably would have in- * A Fact, See Appendix. on, WHISTLING AT LANDLORDS. 45 tended it at some future time, and your good and kind landlords are now gifted with the power (once supposed to be only divine) of seeing into your most inmost thoughts, and then of ' 'suspecting" what you intend, or may at some future time intend to do. Hence all this care of you — in fact, the only thing you have any right to intend to do in Ireland is to intend to emigrate, and the sooner you do that the better. Every one should emigrate. There are twice too manj^ people in the countr3^ already. Why some of 3^ou were born has always been an inexplicable myster}' to me. You might have known, in fact, — ahem — you should have known 3'ou were not wanted. You are in the wa}'- of — of everybod}^, in fact, there is not a landlord in Ireland who has not said repeatedly that they could get on better without you. It has, indeed, sometimes occurred to mj'self that there might be a difficulty in cultivating the land if there was no one to do it, and that — ahem — in fact, if you all left in a body nobod}'' would re- main, but they don't seem to see it somehow, but it doesn't matter; infact — ahem — nothing matters. Only I suppose if you all left, it would remove a great social difficulty, and, in fact, save your kind and good landlords a deal of trouble. They would, I suppose, import Chinese, for it does seem to me that some kind of rent-producing machine would be required. You, as far as I can learn, would go farther and fare better. Why then, in the name of heaven, don't you go and leave the country, where you had no business to be born, and which j^ou c^rtainl}^ have no business to Jivc in. 1 hear some one say something about provi- dence putting you here. Quite a mistake, sir. We have nothing to do wit h providence. All that is given up in England, long ago. The— ahem— greatest good of the smallest number is the great lesson of modern science. For example, if you, little boy, had never been born, you would not be where you are, but being born, unfortunately, the one thing to do is to get you somewhere else as quickly as possible. Under ordinary circumstances I would have recommended a forcible application of the — ahem — mater- nal slipper, as the fittest punishment for your crime, but unfortun- ately your mother has no slipper ; in fact, she has not a sole to her heel, another evidence of the lamentable depravity of the Irish race. Why Irish women do not wear shoes and stockings is 46 TIM C ARTY'S TMIAL ; beyond my comprehension. All the women and little girls do in England, but then, of course, England is not Ireland, and it does not matter ; in fact, nothing matters. But, little boy, to return to you. I am lost in amazement at your ingratitude. How could you whistle at your good and kind landlord? Don't you know, little boy, when there was said to be some— ahem— distress last year, he made the very best of it for you by writing to the English papers to say it didn't exist, and that, if it did, it really didn't matter ; in fact, that nothing matters ; except, of course, making you do your duty in life ; to pay your rents. What more could he have done for you, ex- cept, indeed, to give you food, or encourage other people to give it to'you ; but that would have been bad for you, in fact, quite demoralizing. At the same time, he gave £1,000 towards the election expenses of a friend in England. As he is naturally anxious to have you properly represented in the English parlia- ment, and as gentlemen who have never been m Ireland are the most 'suited for that purpose, as, knowing nothing, they cannot be prejudiced in your favor. Prejudice, little boy, is very wicked, and nothing but prejudice could cause your wicked whistling. Then, you know, little boy, how your landlord brought over a number of clever gentlemen from England to see how well off you were, and how happy and contented ; and one gentleman from France, who, as he could not understand one word of English, was of course a great deal more likely to un- derstand the Irish question. Then, knowing there is nothing half so good for a struggling man as to raise his rent, he took the opportunity of doing so, and having borrowed money very cheaply from government ; he employed you at your own ex- pense, and kindly made you pay for it after by raising your rent, and told his English friends there was no manure for land so good as Raising the Rent. {Loud shouts outdde.Singing, cheering, etc.) Voice. {Shouts out.) Cable message just arrived. Ireland Free ! I ! Mr. Gladstone's Bill to give Ireland a Parliament of her own passed by tremendous majority ! . END. OPENING SONG AND CHORUS. I WISH YOU THE TOP OP THE MOKNINa. My heart's dear love, but there IS— :p~ — # — # — — — *-*-[-. i :i=ti:: Th6 dawn ou the jiills of Ireland— God's an - gel's lift - Ing -K — K — ^- '-3—Z- the night's black veil, From the fair sweet face of my sire -land! --K : 1) : ^ T-\-0 ^ 1 1 O Ire - land, isn't it grand you look, Like a bride in _,, ^..=-. J N- her rich — E3E i?=3: a - dorn-ing. And with all the pent up love =F=t=F=F=F=F of my heart— I wish you the top of the morning CSOM USf single voices. s p c£±=z± -_, -_ I 0- -± -0 -S- I ) 1 '■ s a ~ -i 0- I wish you the top of the morning— I wish you the top of the morning. Oh!. Ire - land dear, repeat chorus loith all tlie voices. don't you hear me shout, I wish you the top of the morning. 48 TIM C ARTY'S TRIAL; 2. This one short hour pays lavishly back, For maDy a year of mourning ; I'd almost venture another flight, There's so much joy in returning ; Watching out for the hallowed shore, All other attractions scornin' ! I wish 3^ou the top o' the mornin' ! I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! O Ireland, dear ! don't you hear me shout ! I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! Ho ! ho ! upon Cleena's shelving strand. The surges are grandlj' beating, And Kerry is pushing her headlands out To give us the kindly greeting ; Into the shore the sea-birds fl\% On pinions that know no drooping ; And out from the cliffs, with welcomes charged, A million of waves come trooping. I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! O Ireland, dear ! don't you hear me shout ! I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! 4. O kindly, generous, Irish land, So leal, and fair, and loving. No wonder the wandering Celt should think And dream of you in his roving ! OR, WHISTLING AT LANDLORDS. 49 The alien home may have gems and gold, Shadows may never have gloomed it ; But the heart will sigh for the absent land. Where the love-light first illumed it. I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! ■ I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! O Ireland, dear ! don't you hear me shout ! I wish 3''ou the top o' the mornin' ! A.nd doesn't t' old Cove look charming there, Watching the wild wave's motion, Leaning her back up against the hills. And the top of her toes on the ocean. I wonder I don't hear Shandon's bells, Ah ! maybe their chiming's over, For it's many a year since I began The life of a western rover. I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! O Ireland, dear ! don't you hear me shout ! I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! 6. For thirty summers, astore machree, Those hills I now feast my eyes on Ne'er met my vision save when they rose Over memory's dim horizon. E'en so 'twas grand and fair they seemed, In the landscape spread before me. But dreams are dreams, and my eyes would ope. To see Texas' sky still o'er me. I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! O Ireland, dear ! don't you hear me shout ! I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! 50. TIM CARTT8 TRIAL; 7. Ah ! often upon the Texan plain, When the day and the chase were over, My thoughts would fly o'er the weary wave, And around this coast-line hover. And the prayer would rise that some future day, All danger and doubtings scornin', I'd help to win for my native land The light of young liberty's mornin'. I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! I wish 3'^ou the top o' the mornin' ! O Ireland, dear ! don't j'^ou hear me shout ! I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! Now fuller and truer the shore-line shows — AVas ever a scene so splendid ? I feel the breath of the Munster breeze ; Thank God that my exile's ended. Old scenes, old songs, old friends again, The vale and cot 1 was born in ! O Ireland, up from my heart of hearts, I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! I wish 3'ou the top o' the mornin' ! O Ireland, dear ! don't you hear me shout ! I wish you the top o' the mornin' ! APPENDIX APPENDIX. It may be thought that one part of this play is severe on English Catholics. To condemn them en masse would be as unjust as most 'universal condemnations are. But there is no doubt, in fact, there is very ample proof, that English Catholics have not taken the practical interest in the welfare of Irish Catholics to which even the interest of a common religion should have bound them. The cause of this is not fai to seek. A pamphlet has been published lately in England bearing the title "We Catholics," it has had a verj^ large circulation, possibly because of its profuse laudations of certain literary English Catholics. It might be supposed, indeed, from the fulsome dedication t(; a Mr. Cox, that English Catholics were the only Catholics of any account in the Universal Church, and that Mr. Cox was destined to be their prophet. The author addresses him thus : "Versed in the wisdom of the world, you inherit besides, and, I will add, you illustrate the traditions of Fidelity to the Faith handed down to you from your own fathers, and by your mother, from the Welds, and I see in you a future Publicist to whom is open the happy possibility of restoring to our community that esprit de cojys for which I venture in the following pages to plead." The last sentence is the key note of the pamphlet. But in what is this esprit de corps made to consist, which is to accom- plish such wonders for [English] Catholics ? Apparently it is to form a Mutual Admiration Society as a bond to keep *' We [English] Catholics " together. How poor is all this in the face of the real and terrible dangers of worldliness which are the true evils to be feared, especially by English Catholics, who§e 54 APPENDIX, social position lias gained an advance which may be far more dangerous to their interests than they at present suppose ; but )iot one word is said in tlie pamphlet, from cover to cover, on the subject of Irish Catholics. They are as completely ignored us if no such persons existed. Certainly, with all reverence I say it, this was not the esjwit de corj)s of the Apostles, or of the early Christians. I am afraid Lord Kenmare hardly likes to be called an Irish Catholic, but he is one all the same, and he is singled out for special attack by the author of this flowery pamphlet. And for what ? Simply because the anonymous writer thinks that Lord Kenmare licensed some plays which were not up to his standard of morality. On this subject I express no opinion, as I am entirely and happily ignorant as to the grounds of this charge. But why has this person nothing to say of Lord Kenmare's treatment of his Irish tenants ? Are they so altogether out of the paths of grace, or civilization, as to be refused admission to the wonderful " We " ? Are these Irish tenants not Catholics, as well as the great English " We," who are so earnestly urged to praise one another ? Writing of Lord Kenmare, the author of " We Catholics" says : '' Sister M. Francis Clare is said to be in want of a Mission ; and I therefore venture to propose to her one which only the possession of undaunted energy would allow her to undertake, and which at the same time gives grounds for the continuance of her title. The Nun of Kenmare. Having left the town, let her devote herself to the Earl of that ilk ; and by letters, pamphlets, and the pastorals of friendly Bishops, endeavor to arouse the moral consciousness of the department of the Lord Chamberlain ! " This curiously written sentence contains as many false state- ments as there are lines, and it gives evidence, if evidence were needed, how little English Catholics care even to know the simplest matter about Irish affairs. Sister M. Francis Clare is not in want of a Mission. She has a noble one given to her by the Head of the Holy Catholic Church, and if the opposition of "We Catholics," of the type of this writer has prevented her for a time, at least, from carrying APPENDIX. 55 it out in Ireland, their power is limited by the holy will of God, and she will work, and is working for her people elsewhere. Her mission certainly was not pleasing to certain English Catholics who own large property in Ireland for very obvious reasons. If her reports given to the whole world through the Press were true, her statement that poor Irish Catholics were not treated by their English Catholic landlords with that esprit de corps which the Apostles preached to the early Christians, it is little wonder that her mission was very distasteful to them. It would be an insult if it was not too great an absurdity to suggest that the Nun of Kenmare w^ould occupy herself by writing ' ' letters, pamphlets, and the pastorals of friendly Bishops, endeavor to arouse the moral consciousness of the department of the Lord Chamberlain ! " or whatever this curiously construct- ed sentence may mean. One of the most beloved and truly patriotic Archbishops of America wiiose letter is now before us, has given the true cause w^hy the Nun of Kenmare has had the misfortune to displease "We Catholics," and further this prelate has written from per- sonal and accurate knowledge : as he was in Ireland at the time. In a letter to the Very Rev. Canon B , his grace says : "A ve*y sad news has reached me that the good Sister Mary Francis Clare had to leave Knock, and her Convent unfinished, owing to the opposition of and that the Providence of God has opened a door for her in England by the good Bishop of Notting- ham who even vacated his own house for the good Nun, whose efforts in Ireland were so thwarted. God help poor Ireland ! " She is a lady of very great intellect, of large mind, and large heart, exceedingly charitable to the poor, loved her country earnestly, perhaps too much for the tastes of her opponents. The government and landlords may now rejoice, that they got rid of one who so ably exposed their crimes and wickedness. Of course she won't have the same occasion to write in England as she has had in Ireland. "3Iany a good and religious patriotic heart will weep over this sad stroke to Ireland and Knock, as Christ wept over Jeru- salem." 56 APPENDIX. The author of "We Catholics " is as ignorant of Irish affairs as he is of what has been done in Rome to enable the Kun of Kenmare to establish her Mission of Peace. The town of Ken- mare is not on the property of Lord Kenmare. We believe he obtains his title from a little village of the same name near Limerick. *■ The town of Kenmare and the surrounding districts belong to the Marquis of Lansdowne, the present Governor-General of Canada, and one of the most active exterminators of the L'isli race by emigration. The following extracts from a '' Report of the English Miners' Delegation to Kerry " will show that the Marquis of Lansdowne was as much interested in the Nun of Kenmare's leaving Ireland as any of the many landlords whose unhappy tenants she was the means of saving from starvation : " There are few, indeed, as well acquainted w^ith the causes of the present condition of this country as Sister Mary Francis Clare, the world-famed Nun of Kenmare. Her life has been devoted to the study of the history of the nation, to the examin- ation of the idiosyncracies, the customs, and the aspirations of the people, and her writings on these subjects have a recognized nnportance which puts them beyond the reach of our humble encomium. We would, therefore, have been guilty of an unpar- donable breach of duty had we passed through Kenmare without calling on the lady whose charity and genius have made the name of this hamlet a household word among all civilized nations. There was fearful distress in and around Kenmare during 1879, and Sister Mary Francis Clare did all she pos- sibly could to alleviate it. While she was thus making the most bitter sacrifices to save the people from starvation. Lord Lansdow^ne and his agent Mr. Trench, were doing all they could to counteract her influence and stop charitably- disposed persons from giving subscriptions. It would seem that it suited Lord Lansdowne's purpose to deny that any body on his estate was suffering any hardship whatever, and, that whoever was so positioned, it was through thriftlessness or laziness. Distress is chronic here, and last week a deputation APPENDIX. 67 of laborers came to Sister Mary Francis Clare, at the Convent, seeking for employment. They represented about fiftj' families, and having got little or no work or food for some weeks, they were in a state of desperation. There were then some public works in the neighborhood to be done for which a government loan had been obtained, and there had been some delay in open- ing them. The Sister at once telegraphed to the gentleman who had charge of these works, telling him that if they were not opened in twenty -four hours, she would have the matter brought before Parliament. She got a reply to the effect that they would be opened in twenty-four hours. In the meantime she set the men to work at little jobs at one shilling and six pence per day, but at the same time she did not know how she would get the money to pay them. 'Go to work,' she said to them, 'and God will provide your wages.' The next morning she received a letter from the Viceroy of India, the Marquis of Ripon, enclos- ing a check for £10. During the period over which the distress continued in Ire- land, the Nun of Kenmare distributed in various parts of the country £15,000 which had been sent to her from all parts of the world. " LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 017 197 236 A