BLARNEY CASTLE
NORAH'S friend, Mollie, had just got home from a long journey. At least
it seemed a long one to Norah, who had never been farther away from home
than the Lakes of Killarney.
Mollie had been all the way to Cork and Queenstown with her father and
mother. They went to see Mollie's uncle start for America on a big
steamer.
Queenstown is at the mouth of the River Lee. It used to be called the
Cove of Cork, but the name was changed to Queenstown in honour of Queen
Victoria.
It seemed a very big place to Mollie. As she described the queer cars
running through the city, and the great steamers at the docks, it was a
wonderful picture that little Norah saw in her mind.
Mollie had gone there in a railway train. When the guard shut her and
her parents inside the car and locked the door, she was a little
frightened at first. Then the engine gave a fearful shriek, and the
train moved.
There were many other people in the car, or rather "compartment of the
railway carriage," as they call it in the British Isles. Their cars are
divided into three or four parts, with doors opening on the sides. Each
part is called a compartment.
It was quite a jolly crowd. Every one seemed in good humour, and
strangers were soon talking together as if they had always known each
other. They told funny stories, they joked and laughed, and Mollie soon
forgot her fear of the fast moving train. "It was just like a party,"
she told Norah.
At every station, the guard unlocked the door and let out those who
were going no farther. Others then got in, so the company was changing
all the time.
The compartment in which Mollie rode was a third-class one, and the
floor and seats were quite bare. But these things did not trouble the
little girl. Her parents could not afford to buy tickets to go first or
second-class. They were glad enough to be able to go at all.
Cork was reached at last, and Mollie could hardly sleep nights after
going about the city in the daytime and seeing the strange sights.
When her uncle had gone away on the big steamer, she went with her
father and mother into some of the mills and factories. She saw glass
spun into beautiful shapes, woollen cloths woven by huge machines, and
many other things made as if by magic.
"Sure, it seems as if these big wheels must be turned by the fairies,"
she said to Norah, as she told her little friend of what she had seen.
It was all very interesting, but Norah liked best of all to hear of
Mollie's visit to Blarney Castle. She asked her to repeat it over and
over again.
Not far away from Cork is the busy little town of Blarney. And a little
way out from Blarney is an old, old castle which is visited by people
from all over the world.
Did you ever hear of the Blarney Stone? Or did you ever hear one person
say to another, who has made a very polite or flattering speech, "Well,
well, I think you must have kissed the Blarney Stone?"
Perhaps you did not understand the reason for such a remark. Now you
shall hear it.
If you ever climb to the top of the walls of Blarney Castle and look
down over the walls on the outside, you will see a certain stone.
[Illustration: MOLLIE AND HER FATHER VISIT BLARNEY CASTLE.]
It is a magic stone, you may be told. It has a great charm, for, if you
kiss it, you will be blessed ever after with the power of eloquent
speech. Your words to charm and wheedle will never fail you. You will
always be able to say the right thing in the right place at the right
time. You will say it so well you will make yourself very pleasing to
your listeners.
But how is anybody able to kiss the Blarney Stone? It is too far down to
be reached from the top, and too far up to be reached from the bottom.
There is only one way. You must have a rope tied to your waist, and
trust some one to let you down over the wall till you reach it.
There are some people foolish enough to do this very thing.
As Mollie stood looking and wishing she dared try it, she heard some
one telling a story. It was about a young man who got his friends to
lower him out over the wall.
But, just as his lips touched the stone, a shower of coins fell to the
ground below. The young man had forgotten to take the money out of his
pockets.
Every one laughed at the story, and Mollie wished she could have been
there to see the funny sight.
"I didn't kiss the real Blarney Stone," she told Norah. "But there was
one inside the walls. It was a sort of make-believe Blarney Stone, and
we all kissed that instead."
"Daniel O'Connell must have been to Blarney Castle and kissed the
stone," said Norah, quite seriously. "How else could he have had the
power to move every one by his words? He was a great man. When I grow
up, I'll be after going to the great city of Dublin to see his
monimint. You see if I don't, Mollie darlint."
"Maybe we'll be going together, Norah," was the answer.
And the two little girls skipped arm in arm across the fields of the
beautiful Emerald Isle.
THE END.
Selections from The Page Company's Books for Young People
THE BLUE BONNET SERIES
_Each large 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated, per
volume_ $1.75
A TEXAS BLUE BONNET
By CAROLINE E. JACOBS.
"The book's heroine, Blue Bonnet, has the very finest kind of wholesome,
honest, lively girlishness."--_Chicago Inter-Ocean._
BLUE BONNET'S RANCH PARTY
By CAROLINE E. JACOBS and EDYTH ELLERBECK READ.
"A healthy, natural atmosphere breathes from every chapter."--_Boston
Transcript._
BLUE BONNET IN BOSTON
By CAROLINE E. JACOBS and LELA HORN RICHARDS.
"It is bound to become popular because of its wholesomeness and its many
human touches."--_Boston Globe._
BLUE BONNET KEEPS HOUSE
By CAROLINE E. JACOBS and LELA HORN RICHARDS.
"It cannot fail to prove fascinating to girls in their teens."--_New
York Sun._
BLUE BONNET--D√ČBUTANTE
By LELA HORN RICHARDS.
An interesting picture of the unfolding of life for Blue Bonnet.
BLUE BONNET OF THE SEVEN STARS
By LELA HORN RICHARDS.
"The author's intimate detail and charm of narration gives the reader an
interesting story of the heroine's war activities."--_Pittsburgh
Leader._
ONLY HENRIETTA
By LELA HORN RICHARDS.
Cloth decorative, 12mo, illustrated $1.90
"It is an inspiring story of the unfolding of life for a young girl--a
story in which there is plenty of action to hold interest and wealth of
delicate sympathy and understanding that appeals to the hearts of young
and old."--_Pittsburgh Leader._
HENRIETTA'S INHERITANCE: A Sequel to "Only Henrietta"
By LELA HORN RICHARDS.
Cloth decorative, 12mo, illustrated $1.90
"One of the most noteworthy stories for girls issued this season. The
life of Henrietta is made very real, and there is enough incident in the
narrative to balance the delightful characterization."--_Providence
Journal._
"The heroine deserves to have this story develop into a series of books;
a wholesome, sparkling, satisfying story of American girlhood."--_New
Era Magazine._
THE YOUNG KNIGHT
By I. M. B. of K.
Cloth decorative, 12mo, illustrated $1.65
The clash of broad-sword on buckler, the twanging of bow-strings and the
cracking of spears splintered by whirling maces resound through this
stirring tale of knightly daring-do.
Michael Faversham, orphaned nephew of Sir Gilbert Faversham, is a
wholesomely mischievous lad who nevertheless has the beautiful faith and
love for the Saviour so characteristic of the early sixteenth century
Christians. How he saves the fortress of Rhodes from the besieging
Turks, is later betrayed, captured and tortured by them in the hope that
he may be made to turn traitor and apostate, and his triumphant escape
from the hands of the Infidels--all these will delight the sturdy hearts
of the present-day American boy.
THE MARJORY-JOE SERIES
By ALICE E. ALLEN
_Each one volume, cloth decorative, 12mo, illustrated,
per volume_ $1.50
JOE, THE CIRCUS BOY AND ROSEMARY
These are two of Miss Allen's earliest and most successful stories,
combined in a single volume to meet the insistent demands from young
people for these two particular tales.
THE MARTIE TWINS: Continuing the Adventures of Joe, the Circus Boy
"The chief charm of the story is that it contains so much of human
nature. It is so real that it touches the heart strings."--_New York
Standard_.
MARJORY, THE CIRCUS GIRL
A sequel to "Joe, the Circus Boy," and "The Martie Twins."
MARJORY AT THE WILLOWS
Continuing the story of Marjory, the Circus Girl.
"Miss Allen does not write impossible stories, but delightfully pins her
little folk right down to this life of ours, in which she ranges
vigorously and delightfully."--_Boston Ideas._
MARJORY'S HOUSE PARTY: Or, What Happened at Clover Patch
"Miss Allen certainly knows how to please the children and tells them
stories that never fail to charm."--_Madison Courier._
MARJORY'S DISCOVERY
This new addition to the popular MARJORY-JOE SERIES is as lovable and
original as any of the other creations of this writer of charming
stories. We get little peeps at the precious twins, at the healthy
minded Joe and sweet Marjory. There is a bungalow party, which lasts the
entire summer, in which all of the characters of the previous
MARJORY-JOE stories participate, and their happy times are delightfully
depicted.
THE YOUNG PIONEER SERIES
By HARRISON ADAMS
_Each 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated, per volume_ $1.65
=THE PIONEER BOYS OF THE OHIO=; OR, CLEARING THE WILDERNESS.
"Such books as this are an admirable means of stimulating among the
young Americans of to-day interest in the story of their pioneer
ancestors and the early days of the Republic."--_Boston Globe._
=THE PIONEER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES=; OR, ON THE TRAIL OF THE IROQUOIS.
"The recital of the daring deeds of the frontier is not only interesting
but instructive as well and shows the sterling type of character which
these days of self-reliance and trial produced."--_American Tourist,
Chicago._
=THE PIONEER BOYS OF THE MISSISSIPPI=; OR, THE HOMESTEAD IN THE
WILDERNESS.
"The story is told with spirit, and is full of adventure."--_New York
Sun._
=THE PIONEER BOYS OF THE MISSOURI=; OR, IN THE COUNTRY OF THE SIOUX.
"Vivid in style, vigorous in movement, full of dramatic situations, true
to historic perspective, this story is a capital one for
boys."--_Watchman Examiner, New York City._
=THE PIONEER BOYS OF THE YELLOWSTONE=; OR, LOST IN THE LAND OR WONDERS.
"There is plenty of lively adventure and action and the story is well
told."--_Duluth Herald, Duluth, Minn._
=THE PIONEER BOYS OF THE COLUMBIA=; OR, IN THE WILDERNESS OF THE GREAT
NORTHWEST.
"The story is full of spirited action and contains much valuable
historical information."--_Boston Herald._
THE FRIENDLY TERRACE SERIES
By HARRIET LUMMIS SMITH
_Each one volume, cloth, decorative, 12mo,
illustrated, per volume_ $1.75
THE GIRLS OF FRIENDLY TERRACE
"It is a book that cheers, that inspires to higher thinking; it knits
hearts; it unfolds neighborhood plans in a way that makes one tingle to
try carrying them out, and most of all it proves that in daily life,
threads of wonderful issues are being woven in with what appears the
most ordinary of material, but which in the end brings results stranger
than the most thrilling fiction."--_Belle Kellogg Towne in The Young
People's Weekly, Chicago._
PEGGY RAYMOND'S VACATION
"It is a clean, wholesome, hearty story, well told and full of incident.
It carries one through experiences that hearten and brighten the
day."--_Utica, N. Y., Observer._
PEGGY RAYMOND'S SCHOOL DAYS
"It is a bright, entertaining story, with happy girls, good times,
natural development, and a gentle earnestness of general tone."--_The
Christian Register, Boston._
THE FRIENDLY TERRACE QUARTETTE
"The story is told in easy and entertaining style and is a most
delightful narrative, especially for young people. It will also make the
older readers feel younger, for while reading it they will surely live
again in the days of their youth."--_Troy Budget._
PEGGY RAYMOND'S WAY
"The author has again produced a story that is replete with wholesome
incidents and makes Peggy more lovable than ever as a companion and
leader."--_World of Books._
"It possesses a plot of much merit and through its 324 pages it weaves a
tale of love and of adventure which ranks it among the best books for
girls."--_Cohoes American._
FAMOUS LEADERS SERIES
By CHARLES H. L. JOHNSTON
_Each large 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated,
per volume_ $2.00
FAMOUS CAVALRY LEADERS
"More of such books should be written, books that acquaint young readers
with historical personages in a pleasant, informal way."--_New York
Sun._
FAMOUS INDIAN CHIEFS
"Mr. Johnston has done faithful work in this volume, and his relation of
battles, sieges and struggles of these famous Indians with the whites
for the possession of America is a worthy addition to United States
History."--_New York Marine Journal._
FAMOUS SCOUTS
"It is the kind of a book that will have a great fascination for boys
and young men."--_New London Day._
FAMOUS PRIVATEERSMEN AND ADVENTURERS OF THE SEA
"The tales are more than merely interesting; they are entrancing,
stirring the blood with thrilling force."--_Pittsburgh Post._
FAMOUS FRONTIERSMEN AND HEROES OF THE BORDER
"The accounts are not only authentic, but distinctly readable, making a
book of wide appeal to all who love the history of actual
adventure."--_Cleveland Leader._
FAMOUS DISCOVERERS AND EXPLORERS OF AMERICA
"The book is an epitome of some of the wildest and bravest adventures of
which the world has known."--_Brooklyn Daily Eagle._
FAMOUS GENERALS OF THE GREAT WAR
Who Led the United States and Her Allies to a Glorious Victory.
"The pages of this book have the charm of romance without its unreality.
The book illuminates, with life-like portraits, the history of the World
War."--_Rochester Post Express._
FAMOUS LEADERS SERIES (Con.)
By EDWIN WILDMAN
FAMOUS LEADERS OF INDUSTRY.--First Series
"Are these stories interesting? Let a boy read them; and tell you. He
will pick out 'the best machine gun in the world;' the man who worked
eighteen to twenty hours a day; the man who kodaked the earth; the
inventor who died in debt; the case in which Lincoln earned his first
fee; the secret of Woolworth's success and the man who says 'I can't be
bothered eating.'"--_Boston Transcript._
FAMOUS LEADERS OF INDUSTRY.--Second Series
"As fascinating as fiction are these biographies, which emphasize their
humble beginning and drive home the truth that just as every soldier of
Napoleon carried a marshal's baton in his knapsack, so every American
youngster carries potential success under his hat."--_New York World._
FAMOUS LEADERS OF CHARACTER: In America from the Latter Half of the
Nineteenth Century
"An informing, interesting and inspiring book for boys."--_Presbyterian
Banner._
"... Is a book that should be read by every boy in the whole
country...."--_Atlanta Constitution._
"Opportunity beckons every boy, and this book may suggest the route to
be followed. It is well worth reading."--_Cortland Standard._
WORKS OF EVALEEN STEIN
THE CHRISTMAS PORRINGER
12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated by Adelaide
Everhart $1.50
This story happened many hundreds of years ago in the quaint Flemish
city of Bruges and concerns a little girl named Karen, who worked at
lace-making with her aged grandmother.
GABRIEL AND THE HOUR BOOK
Small quarto, cloth decorative, illustrated and
decorated in colors by Adelaide Everhart $1.50
"No works in juvenile fiction contain so many of the elements that stir
the hearts of children and grown-ups as well as do the stories so
admirably told by this author."--_Louisville Daily Courier._
A LITTLE SHEPHERD OF PROVENCE
12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated by Diantha
H. Marlowe $1.50
"The story should be one of the influences in the life of every child to
whom good stories can be made to appeal."--_Public Ledger._
THE LITTLE COUNT OF NORMANDY
12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated by John Goss $1.50
"This touching and pleasing story is told with a wealth of interest
coupled with enlivening descriptions of the country where its scenes are
laid and of the people thereof."--_Wilmington Every Evening._
WHEN FAIRIES WERE FRIENDLY
Cloth decorative, 12mo, illustrated $1.65
"These stories are written for children in the 'believing years,' but
their literary value is so distinct that any book lover is enriched by
their possession."--_The Herald, Lexington, Ky._
"The stories are music in prose--they are like pearls on a chain of
gold--each word seems exactly the right word in the right place; the
stories sing themselves out, they are so beautifully expressed."--_The
Lafayette Leader._
MR. DO SOMETHING; Of the Island of Make Believe
By BLANCHE E. WADE.
With 8 plates in full color, and many other
illustrations, cloth decorative, 12mo $1.75
The pervading genius of the story is "Do Something," a roly-poly fairy,
who is the embodiment of all that is bright and sunshiny. He wears a
continuous smile and is forever on the move, making up new games and
stories for boys and girls. No child can fail to be entranced by the
story; and, once imbued with the spirit of "Do Something," the tedious
hours of inaction, caused by lack of pleasing methods of play, will be
forever banished.
DENISE OF THE THREE PINES
By EDITH A. SAWYER.
Cloth decorative, 12mo, illustrated $1.65
Denise is a modern heroine, brave and laughter-loving, with all the
appeal and charm which go to make a fascinating character.
LOVE ME, LOVE MY DOG
By CAROLYN VERHOEFF.
Cloth decorative, 12mo, illustrated $1.65
Imagine yourself in this position,--a little girl, moving with your
family to a new community, where the boys and girls are strange and
unfriendly; then to your house come a little orphan and her dog, Billy.
This is the story of the blossoming of little Constance's character
under the loving influence of the little orphan. And Billy, the dog, is
quite an important character, as you will see.
LITTLE GLAD HEART
By LINDA STEVENS ALMOND.
Cloth decorative, 12mo, illustrated $1.65
This story is marked by a timely point of view. The story tells of the
Warwick family, father, mother, Virginia and Joan. Mr. Warwick has sent
Virginia to school at a great sacrifice, and the association with girls
of wealthy parents has made her dissatisfied with the simplicity of her
home. In contrast to Virginia's hauteur and selfishness are the kindly
deeds of Joan, "Little Glad Heart."
IDEAL BOOKS FOR GIRLS
_Each, one volume, cloth decorative, 12mo,_ $1.10
A LITTLE CANDY BOOK FOR A LITTLE GIRL
By AMY L. WATERMAN.
"This is a peculiarly interesting little book, written in the simple,
vivacious style that makes these little manuals as delightful to read as
they are instructive."--_Nashville Tennessean and American._
A LITTLE COOK-BOOK FOR A LITTLE GIRL
By CAROLINE FRENCH BENTON.
This book explains how to cook so simply that no one can fail to
understand every word, even a complete novice.
A LITTLE HOUSEKEEPING BOOK FOR A LITTLE GIRL
By CAROLINE FRENCH BENTON.
A little girl, home from school on Saturday mornings, finds out how to
make helpful use of her spare time, and also how to take proper pride
and pleasure in good housework.
A LITTLE SEWING BOOK FOR A LITTLE GIRL
By LOUISE FRANCES CORNELL.
"It is comprehensive and practical, and yet revealingly instructive. It
takes a little girl who lives alone with her mother, and shows how her
mother taught her the art of sewing in its various branches. The
illustrations aid materially."--_Wilmington Every Evening._
A LITTLE PRESERVING BOOK FOR A LITTLE GIRL
By AMY L. WATERMAN.
In simple, clear wording, Mrs. Waterman explains every step of the
process of preserving or "canning" fruits and vegetables.
A LITTLE GARDENING BOOK FOR A LITTLE GIRL
By PETER MARTIN.
This little volume is an excellent guide for the young gardener. In
addition to truck gardening, the book gives valuable information on
flowers, the planning of the garden, selection of varieties, etc.
THE HADLEY HALL SERIES
By LOUISE M. BREITENBACH
_Each large 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated,
per volume_ $1.65
ALMA AT HADLEY HALL
"The author is to be congratulated on having written such an appealing
book for girls."--_Detroit Free Press._
ALMA'S SOPHOMORE YEAR
"It cannot fail to appeal to the lovers of good things in girls'
books."--_Boston Herald._
ALMA'S JUNIOR YEAR
"The diverse characters in the boarding-school are strongly drawn, the
incidents are well developed and the action is never dull."--_The Boston
Herald._
ALMA'S SENIOR YEAR
"A healthy, natural atmosphere breathes from every chapter."--_Boston
Transcript._
DOCTOR'S LITTLE GIRL SERIES
By MARION AMES TAGGART
_Each large 12mo, cloth, illustrated, per volume_, $1.75
THE DOCTOR'S LITTLE GIRL
"A charming story of the ups and downs of the life of a dear little
maid."--_The Churchman._
SWEET NANCY: THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF THE DOCTOR'S LITTLE GIRL.
"Just the sort of book to amuse, while its influence cannot but be
elevating."--_New York Sun._
NANCY, THE DOCTOR'S LITTLE PARTNER
"The story is sweet and fascinating, such as many girls of wholesome
tastes will enjoy."--_Springfield Union._
NANCY PORTER'S OPPORTUNITY
"Nancy shows throughout that she is a splendid young woman, with plenty
of pluck."--_Boston Globe._
NANCY AND THE COGGS TWINS
"The story is refreshing."--_New York Sun._
THE BOYS' STORY OF THE RAILROAD SERIES
By BURTON E. STEVENSON
_Each large 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated,
per volume_ 1.75
THE YOUNG SECTION-HAND; OR, THE ADVENTURES OF ALLAN WEST.
"The whole range of section railroading is covered in the
story."--_Chicago Post._
THE YOUNG TRAIN DISPATCHER
"A vivacious account of the varied and often hazardous nature of
railroad life."--_Congregationalist._
THE YOUNG TRAIN MASTER
"It is a book that can be unreservedly commended to anyone who loves a
good, wholesome, thrilling, informing yarn."--_Passaic News._
THE YOUNG APPRENTICE; OR, ALLAN WEST'S CHUM.
"The story is intensely interesting."--_Baltimore Sun._
BOY SCOUT STORIES
By BREWER CORCORAN
_Published with the approval of "The Boy Scouts of America."_
_Each, one volume. 12mo, cloth decorative,
illustrated, per volume_ $1.75
THE BOY SCOUTS OF KENDALLVILLE
The story of a bright young factory worker who cannot enlist, but his
knowledge of woodcraft and wigwagging, gained through Scout practice,
enables him to foil a German plot to blow up the munitions factory.
THE BOY SCOUTS OF THE WOLF PATROL
The boys of Gillfield who were not old enough to go to war found just as
many thrills at home, chasing a German spy.
THE BOY SCOUTS AT CAMP LOWELL
"The best book for boys I have ever read!" says our editor. Mr. Corcoran
has again found enough exciting material to keep the plot humming from
cover to cover.
HILDEGARDE-MARGARET SERIES
By LAURA E. RICHARDS
Eleven Volumes
The Hildegarde-Margaret Series, beginning with "Queen Hildegarde" and
ending with "The Merryweathers," make one of the best and most popular
series of books for girls ever written.
_Each large 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated, per volume_ $1.75
_The eleven volumes boxed as a set_ $19.25
LIST OF TITLES
QUEEN HILDEGARDE
HILDEGARDE'S HOLIDAY
HILDEGARDE'S HOME
HILDEGARDE'S NEIGHBORS
HILDEGARDE'S HARVEST
THREE MARGARETS
MARGARET MONTFORT
PEGGY
RITA
FERNLEY HOUSE
THE MERRYWEATHERS
DELIGHTFUL BOOKS FOR LITTLE FOLKS
By LAURA E. RICHARDS
THREE MINUTE STORIES
Cloth decorative, 12mo, with eight plates in full
color and many text illustrations $1.75
"Little ones will understand and delight in the stories and
poems."--_Indianapolis News._
FIVE MINUTE STORIES
Cloth decorative, square 12mo, illustrated $1.75
A charming collection of short stories and clever poems for children.
MORE FIVE MINUTE STORIES
Cloth decorative, square 12mo, illustrated $1.75
A noteworthy collection of short stories and poems for children, which
will prove as popular with mothers as with boys and girls.
FIVE MICE IN A MOUSE TRAP
Cloth decorative, square 12mo, illustrated $1.75
The story of their lives and other wonderful things related by the Man
in the Moon, done in the vernacular from the lunacular form by Laura E.
Richards.
A NEW BOOK FOR GIRLS
By LAURA E. RICHARDS
HONOR BRIGHT
Cloth decorative, 12mo, illustrated $1.75
No girl ever deserved more to have a series of stories written about her
than does HONOR BRIGHT, the newest heroine of a talented author who has
created many charming girls. Born of American parents who die in the far
East, Honor spends her school days at the Pension Madeline in Vevey,
Switzerland, surrounded by playmates of half a dozen nationalities. As
are all of Mrs. Richards' heroines, HONOR BRIGHT is the highest type of
the young girl of America, with all the independence of character which
is American to the core in young as in old.
* * * * *
Transcriber's Note: Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
End of Project Gutenberg's Our Little Irish Cousin, by Mary Hazelton Wade