New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-17
ST PATRICK AS CHAMPION.
HE DROVE WOMAN'S ENEMY FROM
THE EMERALD ISLE.
HOW HE CAME ny HIS BIRTHDAY AND IHH
WAY IT Is CELEBRATED BY DWELL
ur

FRS ON TIE oI' S'f'
Although It is well know,i that when the con-
version OF the northern countries OF r-N'ope
CHRISTIANITY was systematically entered upon by
tho carly Church women exercised remarkable
influence in securing proselytes there Is strange
"a saw no record Of any special work o. the k'Hu
done by them IN Ireland While Clotilda. the queen
o. the Franks carried the faith 10 Clovis. ana Der
TIA the Queen OF Kent. and Gisel!a' the queen o.
Hungary, were leaders in their own countries no
cello wonans name Is identified ST. Pati;H
raens 70 have had the chief work. as he has inc
~ho. glory in connection with the first religious
zrat-irs o, the Emerald Isle
so,, 70 1relncd by Pope Celestine IN the early
par: OF the fifth century. he confined HIS laoors 10
M snecal par. OF the country. but visited every
ch'eF. ain and province in turn. To a WeIsh IN
vader who had carried away. among other prison
ers many neophy;es, and had committe1 many
atrocities in his raid. ST Patrick addresse1 tne
only letter Of his authorship known to bs ex'an''
This and his confessions" are the only authentic
remains o, his literary works. Both the birth and
death OF ST Patrick are involved In so much I'M
certainty that as = me case with so many heroes
the anniversary OF either event must he hxed p1n-
cpally ny conjecture. Some aursorites give iati-
,ude OF ten years from 81 "a the probable time
when he was born. and opinions as TO his death
plac. the time anywhere from the year 400 to 49,
thus giving him ar age OF from seventy-eisht to
much beyond hundred years II an authentic
date cannot he nxei upon there may ne
James whtcomb Riley, that
In ths middle OF July
The weather Ii was cold and wet.
But the day was hot and dry
Some Irishmen held that ne was born on March
q while others conterded thai his birthday was on
the next day and while they contended Scion,
bent on peacs. suggested TO split the difference"
by adding ths two dates. and 80 came Patrlck by
his birthday och Il
,ba good dOi0gS
"a N have arv creden &C. he should be considered as
the most chvalrous champion and friend OF the
weaker AS the destroyer. even In but one
country OF tina. arch enemy which myth and art
have so continuously associated with the fall OF
tho race and the unhappiness OF woman. St Patrick
made the land Of The Shamrock. as Moore
tells US so safe and glad spot the maiden was Sc
cure from harm wherever she went
Sir Knight. feel not tbs. least alarm
No son Of Erin would offer me harm. J., $3.50
For though .OVe woman and gold In store
Sir knight they love honor and virtue more.
s., patrick's Day is usually celebrated in Ireland
with fair. or pattern day when various ways
OF getting the simple peasants money are devised
goli rings" for a shilling: and yell their wares
with all the lustness o. Daniel O'ConnelFs fish
'Tberc are pie-wornen ana ;hlmble-r ringers fortune
telleIs ard dealers in black art, who, despite the
rno:hers son Of EN- VINO goes near the here,ical
sinners camping ground gather in three.penny and
dance on the vsse green near the 'o snG
Il Is said that witter things are sao ~ ne oilno
fiddler 40 comments on the dancing Of his clients IN
fey hours than the comic papers transerioe IN -;
noonfl ASK him why he is blind, ana ne VIII
rroboblv ask Won why YOU have nothing new 10
lax about though the reason is said 10 he tho ef-
fect Of the peat fires. which are injurious 10 'he
sight ., - 81. ,,.,,o
Snamrocks are worn by every body. and me ilttle
girls wear crosses made up ~ gayy coiored riopons
on heir right arms over which is pinned sham.
rock dcnGing their loyalty to tner county lni ana
Inc church Local orators deliver pa;riotc al
dresses hovs be, on the annual DONKEY races
priests preach long sermons on the glorious patron
sainr the notice watch for revolutionary RIOTS ana
careful mothers look out for Cupid's plots, hut,
w,hal there is tradition In ireland that more
people IAN IN love on that day ana more inatches
are made than on all the other holidays But no
hlaues Patrick.