The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-09-19

chairman, J. ]. Lane, who appointed 9
committee to conduct Father Harring-
ion to the hall. He was much surprised
on arriving to notice on the platform the
| Hon. Mayor Pratt, Capt Whelan, Roger
Vail and numerous other members Of
! his parish, as we'll as hundreds of others
| who flied the hall The reverend father
was escorted to the platform, and on ar.
irving Capt. M. V7helan at once proceed
ed with the following address Of welcome
Rev. Father: On behalf of the mem
bers of the Ascension parish and other
friends and neighbors assembled here to-
night, bid you welcome home. We
heard few days ago Of your coming
and, though the time was short, it was
resolved that we should in some man
ner express our joy upon your return
from a visit to the land of your birth,
Sweet Innisfail." We can in some meas
ure appreciate how your heart thrObbed
with joy as that blessed land rose out of
the sea to bid you welcome to it's shores
and with what delight you must have re-
visited the scenes of your childhood, your
aged parents and your alma mater,
blessed 'All Hallows." We have fol-
lowed you with our prayers in all your
roamings, and, no matter where you were,
our prayers rose up for your health and
that the good God would guard and guide
you safely back to us. The poet has said
absence makes the heart grow fonder."
In your absence our hearts seemed to go
out to you and we longed for your return
Father, you have endeared yourself to
us in the past and, while we feel deeply
grateful to all Of the reverend clergy who
ministered to our spiritual wants dur
ing your absence particularly to Father
Moore and Father Mann, still they were
not our own "soggarth aroon." The
parish is spiritual family with the
priest at its head, and, as the head Of the
family, we express our JOY at your re-
turn. We have been given some idea OF
your ftinerary-your visit to lovely
France and picturesque Italy, to the
Eternal City, where you, no doubt, had
the blessed privilege of seeing that glor-
ious pontiff, Leo XIII, VINO so ably pre-
sides over the church today; your jour-
ney to and over the Alps, through Switz-
erland and it's magnificent scenery, and
last, though not least, We heard that in
your rambles through Sweet Innisfail
you visited Blarney castle. We hope
you have returned much benefited by
your journey. We feel assured we will
be the gamers from it, and we thank
God you are with us again. Father, let
me say that l express the wishes of the
members of this parish when I say that
in any work you may undertake in the
future they will all be with you, heart
and purse, to the very best of their abil-
ity. l am pleased to see SO many friends
n orb hor 1,,A ~ I'D
night. and particularly his honor the
mayor, who is both our friend and neigh
bor., They, with the members of your
parish, desire to take you by the hand
and bid you cead millea falthea home
! have been requested to hand you this
package as testimonial from the parish
in honor of your coming home, as a
slight token of the love which we all feel
for you, and once more 1 say welcome
home.
Father Harrington was visibly affect
ed by the reading of the address, and,
learning for the first time the object of
the meeting, with a great effort he was
able to give expression of his heartfelt
thanks to his parishioners for their more
than generous welcome. He said that
the parting from home and parents was
the saddest event of his journey, but
when he thought of his home and his
flock far away IN fair Minneapolis, and
with the confidence that he would re-
ceive' a hearty welcome on his return,
the dark shadows were dispelled quick
ly, and happiness and sunshine made
his homeward journey pleasant.
Mayor Pratt paid deserving tribute
also in a few we'll chosen. words, and
was followed by Roger Vail. Mr.. Vail
said that it afforded him the greatest
pleasure to welcome Father Harrington
once more. He was one of the first to
welcome him when he first came to take
charge OF Ascension parish. He con-
graduated the reverend father upon his
safe return. II can we'll understand"
said the speaker, 'tthe feelings of
anguish felt by Father Harrington on
bidding adieu to the land of his birth and
to his aged parents, perhaps for the last
time. Such were my own feelings when,
after a period of Is years, I returned to
the home Of my boyhood days"
The other numbers on the program
were as follows:
Song-P. J. Monaghan.
Mandolin selection-John Connolly.
Song-Mabel Gilchrist.
Observation-Disclosures. Monaghan, O'Don-
nell, Hurley and Connolly
Comic song-Capt. M. Whelan.
SOlO-Angus Byrne