The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-17
ST. PATRICK'S DAY.
Legends of the Snint-The Shamrock
How the Festival was Chosen-The
Celebration in Charleston.

How the Festival was Chosen-The
Celebration in Charleston.
This day, moro Familiarity known as ''St
Patrlck's Day In the Morning." will be duly cele-
brated by the generous, wlrm-hearted. fmpulsive
Irish people. Many have but little reverence for
the memory OF tile patron saint, from the TACT
that the seventeenth Of March generally brings
aisagrecable weather; but grumblcrs arc found
everywhere ana the true Irishman with the
shamrock In his hat, and grateful heart, will
pay due homage 10 the memory OF st. Patrick
despite bad weather or any other everyday
occurrence. The birthplace as well as the
burial.place OF the saint have been disputed;
but while England, Wales, Scotland and France
claim the former honor, general evidence indl-
Gates that he was buried ut Downpatrick, Ireland,
in the province OF Ulster the coast OF the Irish
Sea- lie was born about the year 372. carried off
by pirates, and sold into slavery in Ireland, and
empleyed for awhile as q swlneherd on the well
known mountain Of Slcamish, In the County Of
Antrim.
Here, during captivity OF seven years, he ac-
aured o knowledge OF the Irish language. cu'i-
Gated himself. and became thoroughly acquainted
with the manners, habits and customs OF the peo.
pie. Escaping 10 the continent. he was success
sively ordained deacon, priest and bishop and re-
turned to Ireland and preached the Gospel
TO its heathen inhabitants. He was undoubtedly
a man OF benevolent disposition, as the popular
legends of his driving the venomous reptiles out
Of ireland, founding churches, abbeys, &C., ana
promoting strict habits of temperance amonG6is
people, would seem to indicate; and it Is said that
the footsteps OF St. Patrick Gun be traced almost
from his cradle to his grave, by the names OF
places named after him.
The shamrock, "the plant that blooms forever"
which is almost universally worn In the hat on
this day, bears three leaves upon one stem, and
was used by St. Patrick as symbol or illustTi'
tion OF the Trinity when preaching to the pagan
Irish; and 1t Ia a curious coincidence that the tre-
foil in Arabia is called sha,arakh, and was held
sacred in Iran as emblematIcal OF the Persian
TrIads. Pliny, in his Natural History, says that
serpents are never seen upon trefoil, and IL pre-
walls against me sting OF snakes and scorplons;
and from this we may infer that the lrlsh IN near
ing Of the Trinity for the first time. fancied they
saw some peculiar fitness In their already sacred
plant to shadow forth the newly-revealed and
mysterious doctrine.
Among the distinguished families OF the Scott
ish arIstocracy, as we'll as among the people or
Ireland, Patrick has been fayorite namo down
to the present day, and America, too, has had
Patrick, whose burning eloquence contributed IN
q great measure to Danish from our soil the an
cestors OF those who ore today endeayorlng TO
crush Ireland and the sons OF st. Patrick, and
who taught George Ill to profit by the example OF
q Caesar and Charles I.
The following humorous verses, from the pen
of popular Irish novelist explain how the dif-
ferences as to the birthday OF lreland's patron
saint were finally adjusted
Twas on the aighth day OF March, as some peo-
Betwixt midnight and morn, Patrick nrst sow
While SOME would contend on the ninth he was
born,
Some fought for the aighth, for the ninth some
would die,
And who wouldn't see right got shocking black
AT length the contlntlon 80 positive grew,
That ach kept birthday. and st. Patrick mad
Till Father Mccauley, who showed thin their
Said, "No man can have two birthdays 'ccpt he
Don't always be sghtln' for aght or for nine.
Don't be always dividin', but sometimes E'molne
Kimbine aight wild nine, SEVENTEEN IS the marx
Let that be hls birthday |" "Amcn," says the
clark.
So they all got blind drunk, which complated
their bliss,
And they've Kept up the practice from that day
TO this.
The Hibernian Society will celebrate the day.
and its sixty ninth anniversary, by dinner at
the Hibernian Hall at S O'Clock. The society Will
assemble at IL O'CLOCK for the election OF officers
for the ensuing year, and the transaction OF other
business.
The members OF the st. PatrcG's Benevolent
Society, which was organized 0fty -four years ago,
Will O. semble ut Masonic Hall at 8 O'Clock Am,
and from thence march In procession, accompa'
nicd by Muuer's brass band, to St. Patricks
Church, to attend divine SERVICE ut half-past 10
O'Clock An oration appropriate to the day Will
be delivered by the Rev. DR.. Moore, and col
lection for the benefit Of the orphans In charge OF
the Sisters of Our Lady OF Mercy Will be taken up.
The society will then march through the princi-
pal streets to their hall, whers collation. will be
provided by the committee Of arrangements. The
members will reassemble at halfpast O'Clock
P. IL for the election OF olrcers and other busl'
ness At O'Clock supper will bc spread at tic
Masonic Hall.