Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-03-17
ST. pATRICK's DAY.
Recurrence OF the Anniversary Dear to Iii,
Hearts OF tho Irish People.

Recurrence OF the Anniversary Dear to the
Hearts OF tho Irish People.
To-day is n holiday dear to every son
of the Emerald Isle. No matter
whether he has wandered from the
dear shores of his island home, no
matter what flag he claims allegiance
to by adoption, at the mention OF the
name of his Patron Saint his heart
leaps TO his mouth aud his mind
traversts distance at single bound,
and he is again in spirit in the land
of. the shamrock, the land that
has given freely to all ma
tons warriors, statesmen, phi
losophers, poets, and citizens.
In all large cities the day Is celebrated
with professions during the day and
meetings and festivities at night.
| There will be no celebration In Fort
| Worth this year, but IL Is not on ac.
count of any lack of love among our
they are AS patriotic as any the |
country over.
There Is some uncertainty as to tn o
date and place Of the birth OF st.
Patrick. The year of his birth Is
variou ly ASST yntd TO the years .3.7
and 3S7, OF which the latter, IL not
even later date, Is more probable. OF
the place he says in his own "Confes-
SION that he was born Sin the village
of sl}onavem of Tabernia,n which
some think to have been Fitzpatrick in
the estuary of the Clyde. at or near
Tie modern Dumbafton. Some
argue that 1t was the present !
Boulogne-Sur Aler in Northern France,
while earlier lives give Nemthur as the
place. His father, he himself tells, =,
was n deacon named Calpurnius; his y
mother, according TO the ancient biog- .
raphers, was named Conches OF Con- y :,
;hessa; according To some, sister of
81. Martin of Tours. His original %
name is said TO have been Succat, Pa =
rlcius being the Roman sppelIative y
~ which he was known In his six II
zenith year lie was seized, while on his IL
ather's farm OF Bonnvem Tabernia y
y band of pirates, and with Il num- Y
er of others was carried to Ireland ~
nj sold to petty chief, in whose
ervice he remained for six years. after \
'hicll he succeeded In eilecting his nc
scape, and probably, after n second ie'
iptivity, went to France, where he III
ecamc monk, first Mt Tours aud ar ~
'rward in the celebrated monastery at sol
erius. Ia the year ASl he went /,
ome, whence he was sent by Pope IN
elestine to preach in Ireland palla. cit
us, who had been sent rs missionary Gle
that country short time before, in!
lving died. Such is the received nc. ov
unt of. his mission; but Or. Todd. his of
test biographer, regards this state Tho
ent as erroneous, aud fixes the date an,
his coming to Ireland eight years in
ter. He was ordained in France, 70
al arrived in Ireland in 432. His nee
,t,,a L.,
Iopted the eXpedient of addressing of
hiseii hrst 10 the chiefs, and of inn Ion
owing, as far rs possible, the spirit nm,
ciahshlp, ana other existing usages EN-
the Irish for the frtherance of his his
eaching; nor can it be doubted that wit
mad much success In ChristianiZ- sch
Z the ancient Irish system of belief the
Il of practice. BY degrees he visited sile
irge portion Of the kingdom, and of ;
ptised great numbers US well of ual
chieitalns AZ the people. Accord. of Il
!, To the accounts of his Irish biog- our
'hers, he founded 365 churches, and the
ltised with his own hands IL 900 sucl
sons Heis said also TO have ordained inv,
asst number of priests, and To have mil,
ssed very many monks and nuns tersl
er he had been about twenty yeurs we i
aged IN ms missionary enterprise, ing
Is said to have fixed his see at Ar
OH about the year Isl; and having
'cured two of his disciples to he or IN
ned bishops, he held probably wlht
re Than one synod, the DEGREES of ana
ich have been subject of much sWee
troversy. He died mt place called war
II, near D0wnpatric; and his relies TOPS
e preserved at DownpatriclSlS down DIM
-he period OF the reformation. The PERI
ce Is still vencrated by the people. me IN,
e date ofhis death is much disputed; 10
Bollandists placing it in 4GD, while san
sher holds ii TO have been 4DS. His the
th occurred on the 18th of March,
day stcred TO his memory. The rem
y certainly authentic literary re- rem
ms o fist Patrick are his Confession witt
letter, both of very rude Latinity OF u
Oh much historical interest. "St,