in his report upon this Committee: "All the persons
named are well known to their respective local police, and, except one,
have little or no following or influence in their respective localities.
They are all members of the National League." The same officer subjoins
this instructive observation: "I beg to add that I find no matter how
popular a man may be in Clare, start a testimonial for him, and from
that time forth his influence is gone."

Can it be possible that the "testimonial," which, as the papers tell me,
is getting up all over Ireland for Mr. Wilfrid Blunt, can have been
"started" with a sinister eye to this effect, by local patriots jealous
of any alien intrusion into their bailiwick? I am almost tempted to
suspect this, remembering that a Nationalist with whom I talked about
Mr. Blunt in Dublin, after lavishing much praise upon his disinterested
devotion to the cause of Ireland, moodily remarked, "For all that, I
don't believe he will do us any good, for he comes of the blood of
Mountjoy, I am told!"

EDENVALE, _Monday, Feb. 20._--This morning Colonel Turner called my
attention to the report in the papers of a colloquy between the Chief
Secretary for Ireland and Mr. J. Redmond, M.P., in the House, on the
subject of last week's trials at Ennis. In speaking of the boycotting at
Milltown Malbay of a certain Mrs. Connell, Mr. Balfour described the
case as one of barbarous inhumanity shown to a helpless old woman. Mr.
Redmond denying this, asserted that he had seen the woman Connell a
fortnight ago in Court, and that so far from her being a decrepit old
woman, she was only fifty years of age, hale and hearty, but
disreputable and given to drink; he also said she was drunk at the
trial, so drunk that the Crown prosecutor, Mr. Otter, was obliged to
order her down from the table.

"What are the facts?" I asked. "Mr. Balfour speaks from report and
belief, Mr. Redmond asserts that he speaks from actual observation."

"The facts," said Colonel Turner quietly, "are that Mr. Balfour's
statement is accurate, and that Mr. Redmond, speaking from actual
observation, asserts the thing that is not."

"Where is this old woman?" I asked. "Would it be possible for me to see
her?"

"Certainly; she is at no great distance, and I will with pleasure send a
car with an officer to bring her here this afternoon!"

"Meanwhile, how came the old woman into Court? and what is her
connection with the cases of boycotting last week