TRYING TO MAKE UP THE “RINT.”

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2261, 16 June 1880, Page 3

TRYING TO MAKE UP THE “RINT.”

At. a recent meeting of the Duchess of Marlborough’s Relief Committee, two little boys, half naked and bare-footed sought admission to Dublin Castle, stating that they had walked all the way from Skibbereen, County Cork, to plead for help to pay their father’s rent. They said they Avere the sons of Pat McCarthy, of Clohcugger, in the parish of Caharag, near Skibbereen, He had a bit of land, but the times Avere so bad he could not pay the “ rint,” and he owed £B. Having gone round among the friends and neighbors, he could only scrape together £G. The tAvo children, avlio Avere respectively twch’c and fourteen years old, thought they Avould “ ask the good Duchess of Marlborough ” to give “ daddy ” £2. AAvay they started for Dublin, begging their food and lodging, and inquiring their Av.ny from town to town. The journey, upAvards of 200 miles, occupied three Aveeks. Touched with the narrative, the Duchess promised to send their father the £2. They were then by command of Her Grace taken to the clothes room, and their tattered garments changed for a new suit of tweed each. Having been regaled with a substantial dinner, they Avere brought before the ladies of the Committee, avlio reAvardcd the brave adventurers Avith a pocketful of silver. On the same day Mr Fitzgerald, assistant-secretary to the Relief Fund, wrote to the Rev. J. Wall parish priest, enclosing a Post Cilice order for £2, payable to M'Carthy, the father of the boys.