The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-20
BY THE LOYAL IRISH
How St. Patrick's Day Was Celebrated
in Great Falls.
HIGH MASS AT THE CHURCH
In the Evening an immense Crowd
Listened to Maurice d.
Leehey's Address on
Patriotism"
lCH MASS AT THE CHURCH

Special Correspondence of the Standard
Great Falls, March 1S.-Tuesday
March II. st. Patrick's day, was very
generally observed by the loyal Irish
Americans of this city and section
Green OF course was the popular and
prevailing color of the day and sprigs
of shamrock and buttonhole bows of
the same hue were worn by people on
the streets generally. At 1920 o'clock
the society of the Ancient Order of Hi
bernians met at their hall, and a few
minutes later marched in body to the
Catholic church, where high mass was
celebrated by Rev. Father Dolls and
visiting clergymen. The music rem
dered at the church service was espe-
cially fine, a full choir being present
The day was marked by the entire
absence of anything in the way of un-
pleasantness and in fact royal good
fellowship prevailed everywhere.
In the evening Myers hall was
crowded to overlooking by people of all
classes, nationalities and denomina-
tions, who had assembled to enjoy the
elaborate programme arranged for the
occasion. At 8 o'clock Hon. T. E.
Brady called the large assemblage to
order and in a few brief and appropri-
ate words introduced Maurice ID. Lee
hey as the speaker of the evening. Mr.
Leehey took for his theme Patriot
ISM" He said:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men-Some years ago. while yet a todd
ling boy at my mothers knee, 1 heard
a simple story You too have heard
1t. No doubt it was told you way back
in childhood's day, but you'll pardon
my repeating it. Twas Of fair-faced,
bright-eyed boy, a winsome lad of 15
He had a simple, happy home; perhaps
kind father and mother. He roll
licked, studied and played. His life
was as free as the air he breathed and
as pure as the water gurgling in the
pebbly brooks near his childhood home
But one day a horde of fierce barbara
ans came from an island across the
sea. They caught this bright. winsome
lad and bore him in captive triumph to
their island dens. There he was made
slave, and compelled to herd cattle
on the bleak mountain side, in hunger
and nakedness, mid SHOWS and rain
and ice. Too often his only meal was
of his cattle's food and at night he pill
lowed his aching head upon a cold hard
rock. But he prayed to God and light
and freedom came. His sufferings
were rewarded. He became a mission
airy and apostle among those people
and taught them to know the light and
truth and the living God. Such, my
friends, is the simple story of st. Pat
rick. And in ireland to-day, on all her
sunny sides around, in America from
Boston Harbor to the Golden Gate,
from Lake Minnetonka to the Gulf,
here on our Rocky Mountain sides,
there mid Alpine SHOWS in pious re-
treat, in India, in Australia, and all
the world about, wherever there throbs
an Irish heart, wher'er is a Catholic
anthem sung, a grateful people are hon.
oring his name and offering prayers to
God for ST. Patrick's grace that, like
him, they may prefer the loss of every
earthly good rather than the least COM
promise in matters of right.
And how proud we are to do this
honor-proud as Irishmen and as the
descendants of sturdy Irish stock
proud because his labors were among
the Irish people, and because their
fidelity has through centuries of perse-
cution and death kept the Christian
faith as green as the shamrock beds
and as warm as the friendship of a
true Irish heart. But rather as Catho-
lies do we feel most honored. Twas
for the church alone he lived and as
a Catholic people we can best honor
him, the prince of teachers, the favored
of apostles, the beloved of saints, and
at this time when Catholic fidelity is
church is maligned and her purposes
misrepresented, ii is fitting that we
should consider not so much the people
among whom ST. Patrick labored, as
the church in whose service his life was
spent.
To speak of the Church and Patriot
ism is my evenings task. An easy and
gracious one IL ought to be. The Chris
tan church is of divine appointment:
Patriotism is necessary to their exist
ence. and is of itself divine True
patriotism and true America nism are
to us synonymous Patriotism! There
is magic in the word 1t Is bliss to re-
peat ii. Poets are sweetest when they
echo it's whisperings; orators are most
potent when they inspire its prompt
ings. Americanism, What a world OF
meaning is there! 1t signifies the prog
ress of 5000 years. 1t is the voice of
contest, of charge in battle, of clamor
for right 1t is the voice of workshop.
of court and council, of industry and
progression. 1t is the voice of prayer,
Of home, of fathers advice. of moth
ers' grooming their loved ones TO sleep.
1t signifies freedom, justice, equality.
The spirit of Americanism is mani
tested in our institutions. in our free
press, free speech, free schools. II
embodies both liberty and liberalism.
II embodies that liberty which asserted
itself in 1875. by bursting the letters Of
a tyrant king and proclaiming to the
world a nation OF states. That liberty
which in 1868 tore the manacles from
four million serfs and removed from
our fair land the curse Of negro slave
~. That liberty which emanates. typi-
fies and adorns: which is ever vigilant,
fearless. aggressive. and which viii
continue in the future. as il has i'm the
past, 20 solve each recurring problem
or difficulty in the interests Of right and
humanity.
But Americanism also signifies lib
eralism. II is the literal fulnllment Of