The Life Of Charles Stewart Parnell - Ii

848 CHARLES STEWART PARNELL [1891
closed carriage to the place of meeting. The people gathered round the carriage in their eagerness to see him, and broke the windows. I thought that a very had omen, and so did he. He did not say anything, but I could see by his face that the breaking of the glass disturbed him. We always thought it unlucky to break glass. The meeting was very successful, but it rained all the time, and he spoke with his head uncovered, lie was, however, greatly pleased with the success of the meeting. He, my daughter, and I dined at Breslin's Hotel at Bray afterwards. He was in capital spirits, and he talked about our younger days, and reminded me of many things I had forgotten. It was a starry night, and he talked to my daughter about the stars and about astrology. I had not seen him so pleasant for a long time. I never saw him again; he was dead within three weeks/
One of the last letters lie wrote was to his mother. Rumours had been circulated that lie had treated her badly. He wrote :
* I am weary, dear mother, of these troubles, weary unto death ; but it is all in a good cause. With health and the assistance of my friends I am confident of the result. The statements my enemies have so often made regarding my relations with you are on a par with the endless calumnies they shoot upon mo from behind every bush. Let them pass. They will die of their own venom. It would indeed be dignifying them to notice their existence ! *
The last public meeting Parnoll attended was at Creggs on the 27th of September, 1891. He was then very ill. On the Saturday before the meeting he wrote to Dr, Kenny:im,* i*\w KiiyHf * during tho nplit. t wmt In !tif»Ht!tK*i \\tth him, I wus at ono of bin last ^ • nl (•ti))i!itiu*l>. I Itt wan in good spiritH, and rtiiilitlriit of iiliitnatt* met-tm. My daughtor, of \vlitiiii liti vt*ry ftuul, WUH \\iih tin. Wo drove in aative. 1 could givci you cither of the «ame kind. Mostntnl i "Sing it* it.*1 Of nmrxtt ! rtiltwett* but hit kept {Hiking tit** it$ ttw I'Uw mil this litn**, Nnying: '* Hing It/1 iittcl n nuntht>r c»f ffilltiw* rut ttin tihttforin, Iw t«»nlt»n it, jttimui him. lUit 1 hcltl