Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-03-17

entire personal history is shrouded IN
deeper mystery that that Of st. Patrick
whose birthday is so generally cele-
brated on the nth OF March, though It
Is wholly matter Of conjecture that
he was born on that day. A witty
Irishman has written on this subject as
follows:
On the sth OF March It was, some peo-
pie say,
That St. Patrick at midnight he first
saw the day;
While others declared Il was the 9th
he was born,
And twas all a mistake between mid
night ana morn,
For mistakes will occur in a hurry and
shock,
And some blamed the baby and some
blamed the clock,
TIL, with all their dIsputings, sure no
one could know
II the child was too fast or the clock
was too slow.
But both Of these factions so positive
grew
That each kept a birthday, and Pat
then had two,
TIL Father Mulcahey. who showed
them their sins,
Said No one could have two but a fine
pair Of twins.
Don't always be fighting for eight or for
nine
Don't always be lighting. but some
times combine
Eight and nine add together-seyenteen
Is the mark.
So let that be his birthday Amen
said the clerk"
This ancient lyric account Of how the
nth Of March has come TO be celebrated
as the birthday OF lreland's patron saint
is quite as authentic as any other In
formation we possess concerning him,
but Is not alone the honor OF being the
natal day OF 81. Patrick which entities
the 18th OF March TO most respectful
consideration All the early English
calendars name this day as that on
which Noah entered the ark for the
purpose Of escaping che food
NOAH AND THE COMEDIAN.
1t would be az difficult to tell why
the 18th OF March was selected for the
date OF that event as II would be to
divine why In all the religious plays
Of mysteries OF the middle ages Noah
and his wife were always the low COM
edy characters. Noah was Invariably
represented as an eccentric old man and
his wife as q most volube shrew. In
the play Of Noah In the "Townley Mys-
teries." one Of the earliest OF these very
rare and quaint collections. there Is an
amusing scene between Noah and his
better half, where he tells the latter Of
the approaching Mood which has Just
been announced to him by the Creator.
Mrs. Noah calls her lord a credulous
fool and an hahitual bearer Of III news,
and bitterly complains OF the miserable
life he leads her. Noah retorts In kind
and finally bids his spouse 10 hold her
tongue. But she only becomes more
abusive. TIL at length they fall a-hght-
ing after the manner OF our modern
Punch and Judy, Noah getting decided
ly the worst OF Il and finally running
away 10 resume his ark building. When
the vessel is completed and the waters
have commenced TO rise Mrs Noah
persistently refuses. with the charac-
terlstic perversity Of her sex. TO enter
II. She ridicues It's appearance and
method Of construction In most ludl-
crous terms, saying:
s''I' faith cannot ind
Which Is before, which Is behind"
And goes on TO remark, in effect, that
the neighbors Will be unable to tell
whether they are going away or just
coming home. The danger at length be-
comes so Imminent, however that she
Jumps into the ark OF her own free will.
but no sooner Is she aboard than she
picks a quarrel with her husband.
MRS. NOAH GETS A DRUBBING.
Good old Noah resolved to teach her
a lesson, gives her a severe drubbing
and she complains of being beaten
black and blue" while the three sons
OF the unhappy pair lament over the
family dlscords. Many husbands OF the
present day will heartily Join with Noah
In exclaiming, as he does, after this
rencontre--
Lord. that woman be grabbed. aye,
And none are meak, dare well say"
All these events are supposed to take
place on March IL, and II that date is
the correct one IL should certainly be
celebrated, not only by the admirers Of
st. Patrick but by the whole world. for
II father and mother Noah had not
sought refuge in the ark none OF US
would now be here u celebrate any
thing.
England, Scotland Wales and France
have each claimed the honor OF having
given birth 10 Ireland's patron saint
but the bulk OF traditlonary evidence,
which Is all we have, seems to be In IA
vor OF Scotland. His native place seems
10 have been Nemthur, now Dunbar
ton, then a Roman province. and the
date Of his birth IL generally thought
20 have been abou. A. ID. 1876.
ORIGINAL NAME WAS sUCCATH.
His original name was Succath Pat
ricius being the Roman appellatlon by
which he was known indicating that he
came Of patrician family. Captured
by pirates and taken TO Ireland In his
sixteenth year he was sold TO a petty
chief, whom he served as a svineherder
for six years during which time he
claims To have been miraculously con-
verted while tending his flocks. Effect
Ing his escape, he went TO France, ac-
cording TO some Of his biographers, 10
England according TO others, and pre-
pared himself for the priesthood. OF
the writing OF 81. Patrick but two Lat
In manuscripts have been preserved,
his "Confession" and letter addressed
20 Coroticus. a Welsh chieftain. who
had captured several Of Patrick's con-
verts. In his confession he tells us that
he was miraculously called By God In a
dream TO the sacred mission OF con-
verting the Irish, a mission In which he
was confirmed by Pope Celestine.
Returning TO Ireland, he devoted his
life 10 the evangelization OF her people
and Is said 10 have founded 1866 churches
and 10 have personally baptized 1900
converts. The date OF his death Is as
signed 70 various widely sundered
years, some writers placing II as early
as ass and others as late as 4sS.
THE SNAKE STORY.
The miracles, legends, traditions, su-
perstitions and quaint customs and OBJ
seryances associated with the name OF
ST. Patrick would on many large vol
umts. one OF the best known OF HIS al
fanaA -. 80. 40 l.. -.