the days of my life

第81部分 (第3/7頁)

ere　is　a　groin　or　an　eroded　beach　on　the　shores　of　the　United　Kingdom　that　I　have　not　seen　and　thoughtfully　considered。　Amongst　other　places　we　went　to　Ireland；　where；　as　the　Chairman　of　the　mittee；　I　examined　all　the　southern　coasts　of　that　beauteous　isle；　also　a　fine　variety　of　inland　swamps　which　it　was　thought　possible　to　reclaim。

It　was　a　very　interesting　experience　because　of　the　number　and　different　classes　of　people　with　whom　we　came　in　contact　as　we　journeyed　from　place　to　place　in　motor…cars。

I　found　the　Irish　the　most　charming　and　attractive　people　that　I　have　ever　met　and　the　most　inprehensible。　What　rather　disgusted　me；　however；　was　the　mendicant　attitude　of　mind　which　again　and　again　I　observed　among　those　who　gave　evidence　before　us。　They　all　wanted　something　out　of　the　Government；　and　generally　something　for　nothing。　I　remember　growing　enraged　with　one　witness；　a　most　shameless　beggar；　and　saying　to　him；　“The　fact　is；　sir；　that　after　the　British　Government　has　given　you　the　horse；　you　expect　that　they　should　feed　it　also。”

“Shure；　your　Honour！”　he　answered；　quite　unperturbed；　or　words　to　that　effect。

As　I　was　dressing　one　morning　at　a　Cork　hotel；　I　received　a　telegram　informing　me　that　King　Edward　had　died　during　the　night。　We　did　not　leave　Cork　till　ten　or　eleven　o’clock；　but　up　to　that　hour；　although　the　news　was　well　known；　I　saw　no　indication　of　public　mourning。　No　bells　were　rung；　and　no　flags　flew　at　half…mast。　This　may　have　been　mere　carelessness；　or　it　may　have　been　—　something　else。　That　day；　when　stopping　under　a　tree　to　shelter　from　a　heavy　shower；　I　fell　into　conversation　with　an　Irish　farmer　of　the　humorous　type；　and　told　him　the　sad　intelligence。　He　reflected　for　a　moment；　then　said；　“Is　that　so；　your　Honour？　Wel