. The Brontës in Ireland; or, Facts stranger than fiction. assive, strong-minded women ; and,as they despised men in their own rank of life,only one of them got married. Mr. McCrackenwrites thus of them : With regard to the sistersof Patrick Bronte, I have seen them all exceptthe one that was married. The rest lived anddied unmarried. They were fine, stalwart, good-looking women, with rather a masculine buildand carriage. Their lives were unstained by asingle blot. They were not ordinary were essentially women of character, and Ithink men were perhaps a little afraid of them. Willia
. The Brontës in Ireland; or, Facts stranger than fiction. assive, strong-minded women ; and,as they despised men in their own rank of life,only one of them got married. Mr. McCrackenwrites thus of them : With regard to the sistersof Patrick Bronte, I have seen them all exceptthe one that was married. The rest lived anddied unmarried. They were fine, stalwart, good-looking women, with rather a masculine buildand carriage. Their lives were unstained by asingle blot. They were not ordinary were essentially women of character, and Ithink men were perhaps a little afraid of them. William, or, as he was called, Billy, was aUnited Irishman. The story of his adventures atthe battle of Ballynahinch forms an interestingchapter, for which I regret I have no space here. THE BRONTE FAMILY: GENEALOGICAL i6i He kept late in life a shebeen on the Knock stories, probably the exaggerations of hisenemies, are told of his powers in the use of stronglanguage and strong drink. He is said to haveoccasionally cleared out his own stock, and then. ..R,^..Th. to have spent the next six months in repent-ance and close application to business. He finallyretired from the public-house on the advice of , and went and lived with a prosperous sonin Ballyroney. He had six sons, all of whom goton well in life. 162 THE BRONTES IN IRELAND Jamie worked sometimes as a shoemaker, madesingle-soled boots, and was a great favourite withchildren. He visited Patrick at Haworth, wherehe spent some time. Alice, speaking of Jamie,said, He took a hand at everything, and he wasvery smart and active with his tongue. Whenhe returned from Haworth he said, Charlotte istarrible sharp and inquisitive. Hugh and Welsh, she said, were great fiddlers,and very industrious. They made a great deal ofmoney by macadamising roads. Hugh, who was called the Giant, was a religiousman in his youth ; but towards the close of his lifehe lost his faith and grew superstitious. He wassaid to be great
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