“Gladstone had the name of being the greatest statesman of England, and he wasn’t much after all.  At the time of his death he had it on his mind that it was he threw the first stone at Parnell, and he confessed that, and was very sorry for it.  But sure there is no one can stand all through.  Look at Solomon that had ten hundred wives, and some of them the finest of women, and that spent all the money laid up by Father David.  And Gladstone encouraged Garibaldi the time he attacked the Vatican, and gave him arms, Parnell charged him with that one time in the House of Commons, and said he had the documents, and he hadn’t a word to say.  But he was sorry at Parnell’s death, and what was the use of that when they had his heart broke?  Parnell did a great deal for the Irish, and they didn’t care after; they are the most displeasing people God ever made, unless it might be the ancient Jews.”

QUEEN VICTORIA’S RELIGION

“Queen Victoria was loyal and true to the Pope; that is what I was told, and so is Edward the Seventh loyal and true, but he has got something contrary in his body.  It is when she was a girl she put on clothes like your own—­lady’s clothes—­and she went to the Pope.  Did she turn Catholic?  She’d be beheaded if she did; the Government would behead her; it is the Government has power in England.”

HER WISDOM

“As to the last Queen, we thought her bad when we had her, but now we think her good.  She was a hard woman, and she did nothing for Ireland in the bad years; but I’ll give you the reason she had for that.  She had it in her mind always to keep Ireland low, it being the place she mostly got her soldiers.  That might not be good for Ireland, but it was good for her own benefit.  The time the lads have not a bit to eat, that is the time they will go soldiering.”

WAR AND MISERY

“There was war and misery going on all through Victoria’s reign.  It was the Boer war killed her, she being aged, and seeing all her men going out, and able to do nothing.  Ten to one they were against the Boers.  That is what killed her.  It is a great tribute to the war it did that.”

THE PRESENT KING

“The present King is very good.  He is a gentleman very fond of visiting, and well pleased with every class of people he will meet.”

THE OLD AGE PENSIONS

“The old age pension is very good, and as to taxes, them can’t pay it that hasn’t it.  It is since the Boer War there is coin sent back from Africa every week that is dug from the goldpits out there.  That is what the English wanted the time they went to war; they want to close up the minerals for themselves.  If it wasn’t for the war, that pension would never be given to Ireland.