The Project Gutenberg EBook of Donahoe's Magazine, Volume 15, No. 2,
February 1886, by Various

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Title: Donahoe's Magazine, Volume 15, No. 2, February 1886

Author: Various

Release Date: September 21, 2008 [EBook #26682]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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DONAHOE'S MAGAZINE.

Vol. XV. BOSTON, FEBRUARY, 1886. No. 2

"THE future of the Irish race in this country, will depend largely
upon their capability of assuming an independent attitude in
American politics."--RIGHT REV. DOCTOR IRELAND, _St. Paul_, _Minn._

The Columbian Abbey of Derry.

One bright sunny day last summer I found myself in the city of Derry,
with some hours to spare. I passed them in rambling aimlessly about
whither fancy or accident led me,--now on the walls, endeavoring to
recall the particulars of that siege so graphically described by
Macaulay, now in the Protestant Cathedral musing on the proximity of
luxuriously-cushioned pew and cold sepulchral monument along which the
sun, streaming through the stained windows, threw a mellow glow that
softened but did not remove the hideousness of the death's emblems on
them--now wandering down the busy street and admiring the beauties of
the Casino College, which, like the alien cathedral a little distance
up, rejoices in the patronage of St. Columb and is built on the site of
his old monastery. Here I lingered long, trying to picture to myself the
olden glories of the spot on which I stood, for

"I do love these ancient ruins;
We never tread upon them
But we set our foot upon some reverend history;"

although here not an ivy-clasped gable, or even a mossy stone remains to
claim the "passing tribute" of a sigh, or a vain regret for the golden
days of our Irish Church. Yet its very barrenness of ruins made it
dearer to my heart, for one never clings more fondly to the memory of a
dear friend than when all mementoes of him are lost. As warned by the
stroke of the town-clock, I hurried do