The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-03-11
SCRAHCH-PAD
REFLECTIONS.

" ANAI EINUFIIE Wf't
Of the city editors assignment book
that volume which has caused the re-
porters 10 acquire the art OF swearing
with nuoncy not TO be exceeded on
man-of-war I noticed these words. Next
Saturday is ST Patrcks-Day; take your
umbrella With YOU why an the mete0-
rological elements should unite in a
general conspiracy against the celebra-
ton of that wen-ku0Wn lrish-American
institution could never imagine But
they do. For the liie OF me can t.
and olonds didn,t get on glorious Jag
on ST. Patrick s-Da.' unl" NO" III ~
generally understood iaet ihal lne i'lh
of March Will De a 'eiaS ",'..', ,
cally speaking. Why, me gus eptlplehtSs
of fso ce",irioue ground hog is nothing
i'm rornnarieon with the capci5 OF the
weather an - Patrick s-Day. Unless
I'm very much mistaken lh lhf loitcAri'
you may look for either sh"" OF ram
next saturday.
St patricks-Day IS the only foreign
national holiday that is 5eneidHy ceie-
bsatod in this country, ~ 10 I.al,y an
Irsh-Amcfican insl-N.''ii' lI N'4,N co..
latter citizens are tfslnnAns 10 tahe
,...r,I. .t,.t.f,. goer .trr.st. ON next SAT-
urda- tho little sDI-- OF green VIII ap-
pear upOn the coat lepein on huluie,ia
and thousands of native Snleilctna' in
fact. this little remAael ol ,l' i''''', az.
Iale will h. worn almost as eene'aliy
bv Americans iu thIs country as py ma
i've Triehmen III viii bee remempefeh
that the potatO when Nda uiaN'F'' q"
this country achieved the preali5e vl l.el
footion b,, rho mon who lot many year
bsve tenf ENGLAND ir an Irish stew. and
.trs,,,p, 90 A. may seem. this selt-same
notst0 has dome no little I'm BRINGING
mo close evmpathv with each other ne
American aud the lrsnmah.
g, p.t-fci-,e-Dav rs far dearcr % the
beart ~ mo native Hibcrnian than D.
tho Fourth Of July on the American. ~
is upon this day that ne 6tts UP '.ii y d,
the morning. pins an men 9i l"v ol r t..i'
ribbon up0n the lapel OF ms coat rduu-
49, ont Tor am ail round celebration,
and thinks nothing NJ dancing "a dozen
an more breakdown before the Gay is
over. IL has been suggested ihat tue
Italian musician meAl IeaiiIe sn"s
head to discourse Hibernian melodies
unop the harm. since Ireland ana ltaly
stick closer tOgcthfr ON inc htip t"ali
do the Governors or lhe idiohiid' 'it
something that makes ltHo" 'ni',n
no rs musician when he's not. III
tastes the two are different but When
IL comes 10 the harp, l.e cohheciih3
link between the Hinernian dancer ana
the Tuscan musician Why, they are ils"l
together.
When the freshman starts out upon mis-
ST patrick's-Dav celebration, 10, ms
heart bubbles forth lie is as happy as
the small boy starting out ON nus hfsl
picnic 10 would Doe a rather ulln. ult
lob 10 convince him that DE does not
own the earth with The iulncss thereon:
IL is his day. He d. gOod-natured, am
smiles, ard his bright sunny spirit is
fuller Of wit thsn ever. lie Us IN 700
good "a humOr 20 take oiience dl INC
act of trcading upon the caudal end 9l
his coat. He makes friends with every
body. manufacture dozen or more
sparkling Jokes during the day, and re-
turns home at night feeling JUST lali y
well llmbered up for dance. and 20 let
everybody know that ne has no use Ioi
a king or queen in a game of seycn-up
or forty-hve.
st. Patrick was a good and great man.
His memory occupies n large place ia
the great biz heart of the lrishman.
There are any number OF interesting
legends about ST. Patrick lie is SAID
70 have been able 20 use snow ana zee
for fuel A story runs that he and his
morning on the top of a mountain WITH
out a fag0t TO cook their breakfast. Inc
saint ordered a pile of snow and zee go
be gathered, and breathing upon this,
produced OUT OF IT n EiINlAr liNs
Another story says That once 81. rat
rick met an old man who refused 20
believe the teachings of Christianity The
old man agreed that DE would be con-
WINGED through the performance OF q
miracle, whereupon ST. Patrick restored
him 20 his youth. and the man al once
became convert
The greatest of the miracles attributed
20 ST. Patrick was Kidding. ireland OF
snakes and blessing the soil so that IL
would ever afte. wards be obnoxious 80
AN reptiles. one legend is 10 the eheci
that the saint collected AN the serpents
on the top of a hill and forced them ~
swallow one another until there WASH
any left There must have been some
end % the performance, but II IS not
told what became of the serpent that took
the final part In this Probably after
swallowing the rest bis capacity 10 hold
! them failed. and he burst 10 pieces. How
ever this may have been, another account
| relates that ST. Patrick drove the ser
penis from the island by beating drum
and that bee struck 10 so hard as "a
| knock a hole In 10. when an angel APP
| peared and mended the rent in the ipstru-
ment lest the accident should Illustrate
/ the object Of the saint
This story goes" even now, though u
/ seems quite an appropriate one, connected
| so closely with snakes as 90 incline one
! 10 place IL IN the category or snake
stories
Next Saturday VIII be appropriately
| celebrated in this city hy the irish ele-
/ ment, and 0n the following Monday night
| an elegant banquet viii Dee given IN honoi
/ Of the day. These celebrations take
/ place I'm Richmond every year, and they
are always heartily enjoyed by hundreds
/ of lrelands loyal citizens. Ihey are
! carried out I'm the best spirit ana are a
source OF pleasure 90 native Americans
as well as TO the sons OF the Emerald
! Isle.
Pop-Cracker" IS the peculiar and
| ouphoue0us name borne by large dos
Of n0ndescript appearance, who DO que
way has gained no little notoriety IN llN
] city. Every evening JUST Wheu the sndqe'
/ Of darkness are gathering, tnls pecullt
/ canine goes 20 the Young Mems Chflstai
! Association building, where he - giNei
! board and lodging. Secretary I1bDetu
told me the other night that Top
/ Cracker was the name given the dog %,
/ the young men. He never fdlls % CONE
! regularly. He opens the door by himself
| walks up 20 the Secretary desk, ana ne
/ down on a mat by IT, where he sleep
| until the next morning, When ne leaFt
| for his usual daily tramp. one hlsh
/ 'Pop-Cracker' made his appearance ac
| cOmpanied By a brother canine. VINO ma
| a rather rundown appearance az N
/ heel. The stranger followed 'Pop-Cfach
/ err up to the Secretary desk; Mhere ~
| was given "a formal irlfouuction' A"vs
two spent quiet night together on n
same rug. The next morning they letl
but the stranger did not return VII
"Pop-Cracker" Very often this peculia
dog will bring in a friend 20 spend m
night. There is lesson IN TINS Whicl
many might DO well 10 study over eve
If il be taught by a dog
"In the spring a young mans faneies
Lightly turn 10 thoughts OF love;
When kngland's popular ana iate ~
| mented bard penned the above peaut ~
lines they We're doubtless true, put tn
| times are on Of Joint " or. I'm other words