In Wicklow and West Kerry by J. M. (John Millington) Synge
page 86 of 103 (83%)
page 86 of 103 (83%)
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Queenstown, leaving parties of old men and women wailing with
anguish on the platform. At one place an old woman was seized with such a passion of regret, when she saw her daughters moving away from her for ever, that she made a wild rush after the train and when I looked out for a moment I could see her writhing and struggling on the platform, with her hair over her face, and two men holding her by the arms. Two young men had got into our compartment for a few stations only, and they looked on with the greatest satisfaction. 'Ah,' said one of them, 'we do have great sport every Friday and Saturday, seeing the old women howling in the stations.' When we reached Dublin I left my charge for a moment to see after my baggage, and when I came back I found her sitting on a luggage barrow, with her package in her hand, crying with despair because several cabmen had refused to let her into their cabs, on the pretext that they dreaded infection. I could see they were looking out for some rich tourist with his trunks, as a more lucrative fare; so I sent for the head-porter, who had charge of the platform. When the porter arrived we chose a cab, and I saw my charge driven off to her hospital, sitting on the front seat, with her handkerchief to her eyes. For the last few days--I am staying in the Kerry cottage I have spoken of already--the people have been talking of horse-races that were to be held on the sand, not far off and this morning I set out to see them with the man and woman of the house and two of their |
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