Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-30
MMAHON'S SHAMROCK SOD.
How the Late French President Re-
ceived Two Irishmen in Partisan
Incident i'm the Career of the Mar
shall which Showed His Love for
the Land of His Forefathers

Incident in the Career of the Mar
shall Which Showed His Love for
the Land of His Forefathers.
In the summer of 1871 I was in
Paris, says writer in The New York
| w orld. The communistic insurec-
ton had been suppressed, and the gay
capitol was emerging from its ashes.
The city was full of sightseers. They
were to be seen gathered about the
| points of interest. the smouldering
Louvre. the Palais de Justice. the
Paisis Royal, the Hotel de Vile, and
the TEileries. They climbed the sides
of lofty Mount Valerien, wandered
through Meudon, Belleville, and
Montmartre. The Vendome column
was being carried away in. small
pieces by relic-hunters, attachments
OF regular troops were stationed at
convenient distances from each other
n all the great centers, and soldiers
and civilians glared at each ether
with sus picIon and naistrust. The law
had triumphed, but France was hui
INFLATED, and her people in despair.
One day as L was returning from a
visit to my old comrades of the For
eign legion, who had followed the
remnant of the communists into Pere
la Chaise and fought them over its
tombstones, [ met M. Scanlon, OF
Havre, Franco Irishman, who had
done good service to the enpire and
the republic during their hours of
trial and distress. Ia his hand he
carried something that under its paper
cover looked like jan-pot. He was
holding 1t before him as ne walked,
and the care with which he handled it.
impressed me with the belief that the
contents of the vessel, whatever thew
were, must have much value in his
eyes. l noticed him coming toward
me long before he ventured TO lift his
eyes from the carefully covered parcel
IN his hand, and while he was engag.
ed in looking out for the debris on the
footpath, over which he was evident
~ careful not to fall. Where the
road was broken he put his disengag-
ed hand around the envelope which
held his charge, and this behavior de.
noted that OF q man who was carry
ing something brittle or precious or
both. When near a crowd he hue ged
his parcel to his side, then, stopping,
looked around as if measuring his dis
lance, and in looking up he saw me.
His eyebrows lifted, his chin dropped,
and disengaging his right hand he
shook my arm with friendly vieor
AS he did SO he Rugged the parcel still
closer to his side. He fondled it like
something he wished to guard from
being crushed, and | thought it might
be pot of flower for some wounded
soldier Or sick friend. A word or two
of recognition was all that passed be-
tween us, when he suddenly held the
parcel Ia both his hands and said:
Here, take it; be careful"
The care with which he handled the
paper covered object begot a similar
care in myself, and extending my two
hands [ said:
What is it?"
At that instant someone accidertal~
ly jostled against us, and M. Scan
Ions face expressed anxiety and care
Mind, mind, be very careful" he
said, as he still held his grip on the
parcel, which our four hands then en-
circled.
What is it?" repeated
He looked me- ia the face and smiled.
His hands, relieved from their strain,
fell to his side, and seeing that I held
his charge with firm hold, ne said
1T? that? why it's a sod shamrock
from the tomb of O'Connell."
I may have held the Emerald gem
little tighter when [ heard it's birth
place and it's home, and beneath that
envelope of paper, fancy pictured
''Glasneven, with its lofty round
tower, erected to the memory of the
emancipation, and the triple emblem
of my native land, love, vaIor, wit,
forever" But M. Scanlon was in
hurry, He hailed passing cab, and
pushing me inside, told the man to
drive to Saint LaEare. I asked what
1t was all about, and this is what he
told me:
you know" he said, ''that the
French government sent deputation
to Ireland to thank the Irish people
for the sympathy and support they
gave the French during the late war.
''You," he said, looking at me, 'swere |
ordered to be one of that deputation,
but declined. Well, before we went |
some of us called on Marshal MAGMA |
Ioh cShSA clS5hCSl h1ll IL COulO uuu Ii |
consistent with his duties to visit the |
land from which his fathers came. |
The great old soldier was very civil, |
but he regretted that he could not &C.
cede to our request Then we begged !
that ne might allow the marchioness,
his wife, or his son to come To this, |
too, there were some objections. |
However, he introduced US to the |
marchioness, and While she spoke OF |
the pleasure such a visit would give
her, she too was obliged to decline. |
But she added: AS [ can cot go to
Ireland I beg Of you to bring me a |
souvenir of tAat dear cd land, and |
you can bring nothing that will please
me more than a sod of shamrock from |
the tomb of O'Connell.' And there it |
is in your hands," he added, land [ |
am just on my way to present it, and |
you must come along. [ was looking |
for you all day. You were the rep