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378
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
·
Henry M. Field
286
"In
its
leading
features
it
presented
a
striking
difference
to
the
ceremony
of
last
year.
Earnest
gravity
and
a
deep-seated
determination
to
repress
all
show
of
the
enthusiasm
of
which
everybody
was
full,
was
very
manifest.
The
excitement
was
below,
instead
of
above,
the
surface.
Speech-making,
hurrahing,
public
congratulations,
and
vaunts
of
confidence
were,
as
it
seemed,
avoided
as
if
on
purpose.
There
was
something
far
more
touching
in
the
quiet
and
reverent
solemnity
of
the
spectators
yesterday
than
in
the
slightly
boisterous
joviality
of
the
peasantry
last
year.
Nothing
could
prevent
the
scene
being
intensely
dramatic,
but
the
prevailing
tone
of
the
drama
was
serious
instead
of
comic
and
triumphant.
The
old
crones
in
tattered
garments
who
cowered
together,
dudheen
in
mouth,
their
gaudy
colored
shawls
tightly
drawn
over
head
and
under
the
chin--the
barefooted
boys
and
girls,
who
by
long
practice
walked
over
sharp
and
jagged
rocks,
which
cut
up
boots
and
shoes,
with
perfect
impunity--the
men
at
work
uncovering
the
trench,
and
winding
in
single
file
up
and
down
the
hazardous
path
cut
by
the
cablemen
in
the
otherwise
inaccessible
rock--the
patches
of
bright
color
furnished
by
the
red
petticoats
and
cloaks--the
ragged
garments,
only
kept
from
falling
to
pieces
by
bits
of
string
and
tape--the
good
old
parish
priest,
who
exercises
mild
and
gentle
spiritual
sway
over
the
loving
subjects
of
whom
the
ever-popular
Knight
of
Kerry
is
the
temporal
head,
looking
on
benignly
from
his
car--the
bright
eyes,
supple
figures,
and
innocent
faces
of
the
peasant
lasses,
and
the
earnestly
hopeful
expression
of
all--made
up
a
picture
impossible
to
describe
with
justice.
Add
to
this,
the
startling
abruptness
with
which
the
tremendous
cliffs
stand
flush
out
of
the
water,
the
alternations
of
bright
wild
flowers
and
patches
of
verdure
with
the
most
desolate
barrenness,
the
mountain
sheep
indifferently
cropping
the
short,
sweet
grass,
and
the
undercurrent
of
consciousness
of
the
mighty
interests
at
stake,
and
few
scenes
will
seem
more
important
and
interesting
than
that
of
yesterday."
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