The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-17

perstitions and quaint customs and OBJ
servances associated with the name OF
st. Patrick would fill many large vol
umes. One Of the best known of his
alleged miracles 20 which 1T Is only nec-
essary to allude, as it has been made
universally familiar through the medium
OF picture. song and story. is his expul-
sion Of snakes and all other reptiles from
ireland, which he Is said to have accom-
pliShed by beating a drum and driving
them before him into the sea- This
strange procession had not gone far be-
fore st. Patrick beat his drum with so
much V1gor as to break hole In 1t,
but an angel instantaneougy appearing
and miraculously mending It, the march
proceeded without further interruption
st. Patrick may be said, however, to
be the means OF introducing into Ireland
snakes Of another and more deadly kind
than any that had existed there prior
to his arrival. for tradition assigns to
him the credit OF having instructed the
Irish In the art Of distilling whisky, from
which alleged fact 1t is said to have been
called poteen In his honor. But Father
Matthew and other Irish advocates OF
temperance have claimed st. Patrick as a
strict prohibiuonist. and tell how In A
ID. AS he one day commanded his dis =
ciples to abstain from drink until the
bell should ring for Vespers in the even
Ing One Coleman, though busly en-
gagged In the severe labors of the har-
vest field, obeyed this injunction 80 lit
orally that he did not even taste water
throughout the long sultry day and at
length when the vesper bell sounded he
fell dead-a martyr to thirst
ANOTHER FAMOUS MIRACLE.
Another of St. Patrick's most famous
miracles Is thus commemorated in the
old Irish ballad of Polly Roe"
.St. Patrick, rs in legends told.
The morning being very cold
In order to assuage the weather
Collected bits Of ice together,
Then gently breathed upon the pyre,
When every fragment blaZed on fire.
Oh. if the Saint had been so kind
AS to have left the gift behind
To such lovelOrn wretch as me-
Who daily struggles to be free,
Id be cOntent-content with part
Id only ask to thaw the heart,
The frozen heart of Polly Roe"
The peasantry of the Galtee or Gaulte
mountains, situated between the counties
of Cork and Tipperary, have a legend
that when st. Patrick banished. the
snakes and toads from Ireland he chain
ed monster serpent in one of their
lakes known as Tough Dilveen, telling
him he would not be liberated till the
following Monday. The serpent has
continued chained there ever since, and
every Monday morning cries out in Irish,
Its long Monday, Patrick"
ST. PATRICKs JAWBONE.
In the possession Of family residing
near Belfast there is a silver shrine
containing Jawbone which Is said to
have been st. Patricks. Great miracu-
lous powers are attributed to this relic.
1t Is believed to cure epileptic fits, to
counteract the diabolical Vaccinations Of
witches and fairies and to avert the
baleful influence of the evil eye 1t Is
also used as extra Judicial test Of the
guilt or innocence Of suspected persons,
who are required to place their hand
upon 1t and declare their innocence It
is believed that they will be instantane-
ously visited by supernatural and awful
punishment If they then speak falsely
or even suppress any portion of the
truth
A quaint old book of folklore pub
lished at Dublin In 100 says that If the
wind blows hard upon st. Patricks eve
1t betokens a death among them that
are learned. and much fish shall die in
the following summer" A point that
the United States fish commissioners
would do we'll to make note on The
same venerable authority states that an
egg laid on st. Patrick's day will bring
luck to the possessor If kept.