The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-03-23
ST. PATRICK'.S DAY.
1t Was Duly Celebrated at Mankato
Theatre Saturday Evening.

Alter partaking of a fine sumner
winch was served at St. John'sCatholic
hall Saturday evening, the gathering
ADJOURNED to the Mankato theatre,
where the literary and musical
features of the celebration of ST
Patrick's day were carried ont. Mr. q
y. DAILY presided. The first feature
on the program was a piano duet nv
Misses May and Grace Douehertv.
Wlllch was finely executed. The orator
Oh The evening, Hon. j. d. O'Brien.
VI 81. Faul, was then introduced. Ow-
ing 10 the lateness of the hour he con-
nned himself to few short remarks
IN which he sketched the work of ST.
fatrlck and briefly followed the his
Tory OF the Irish people. We have
space Tor only few of the more i'm
pofUant points in his remarks Sol
dom, he said, had the celebration of
81. Patrlck's day been carried on mn
oer suspicious conditions. Never had
Ghe Gay been celebrated when tbe ont
look Tor the land which is dear to
neart OF every lriShman, was BRIGHTER
lie 81 oke of how the memory Of Ct
FdGflck is honOred and kept fresh in
Che MINDS OF all, though fifteen him.
ored nave elapsed since he lived. The
memories OF many great men had fad
ed away and were recalled as little
more than myth, but that of St
faCflck was as fresh and bright in the
minds OF all as though it was but .
lew years instead of few centuries
ago that he lived. Why was tbis2 #
must be because he was more than q
SAINT, or merely good man. If was
because he was a great man and
great legislator. He found Ireland =
pagan country and changed it TO a
christian country. He remodeIed its
social condition, and gave it a splendid
system of laws. All this was dono
during his life time. and the c+ah1o
cohdltlon he placed Ireland upon re-
NAMED several centuries. He referr-
ed TO It's schools and universities and
now the scholars therefrom snrood
over all Europe, and the Influence
they eXerted, which had much TO do
with repelling the spread of Moslnm-
ISM over the continent.
Briefly tracing the history Of the
IRISH people, he said that it had been
largely written by their enemies
folloWed the invasion of the Danes
and the sturdiness which it was re-
pelled, and as a result it took them
ZOO years to conquer the island. Anv-
one familiar with the history of war
tare could easily imagine the condition
OF The country after 200 years warfare.
lie spoke OF how they finally freed
themselves from their conouerers
only to fall into the hands Of the
Engllsh, under whose, domination
they have since remained. REFERRING
TO the invasion of Cromwell, he said
that the Sioux war was civilized ha-
side that which the great Protector
carried on and which devastated
whole provinces.
lie briefly referred to different peri
OBS up to the present day, speaking of
the first Irish parliamentand it's work
and to various characteristics of the
people. He closed with an eloquent
appeal to lrishmen to be true to the
traditions of their race, and to keep
forever bright the record they have
made all over the world as a law and
order loving people.
The musical and literary program
which followed was very fine, and
consisted of cornet solo by G. J.
Kurth, which was finely executed.
Miss Katherine Lee delighted her
friends with vocal solo which was
most eXcellently rendered. Miss
Alice Grannis told how ''Tom Sawyer
Whitewashed the Fence" to the de-
light of all present. Harry Waltz
gave flute solo which was well re-
ceived, and the entertainment closed
with recitation, "Emmett's last
Speech" by Harry Carney, which he
delivered in very forceful and pleas
ing manner.