Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-03-23
Great Day at Midland.

by an eyewitness competent to tell all
he sees and hears:
Saint Patrick was gentleman
| Whose day we celebrate,
And on the 18th of March
| The Irish Consecrate,
With new high hat on each mans head,
A green neck tie that's newly made
With the lett foot first we lightly tread
SAINT Patrick day parade.
When Harrigan wrote the, above lines he
must have been inspired by a scene such as
was presented to the view of visitors to Mid
land last Sunday.
The good people of that town did them
selves proud in the hospitable and kind
treatment extended to visitors.
The G. q F. trains from east and west ar
rived at % O'Clock a. M, bringing, not only
the members of the A. o. II. from Cumber-
land, Mt. Savage, Frostburg, Homecoming,
Barton, Westernport and Vale Summit, but
hundreds of Others as well.
Immediately afterward the members of the
A. o. II. formed in line and marched to st.
Joscph's church, located on the hillside with
in sight of the depot. The pastor, Rev Don
Luigi Sartori, had made preparations for
great crowd by placing chairs in the aislcs,
and his kindly foresight gave seats to many
who would have had to stand
The handsome church was crowded to its
fullest capacity and many hundreds stood
about the lawn outside.
The pastor sang high mass in his own inim-
liable way, for he seemed to be at his very
best, and the choir sang sweetly. Miss Nc
Geady deserves special mention. as her rendi
ton ofthe solo numbers was excellent.
| The county chaplain of the A o. H., Rev
Thomas j.. Stanton, who is dear to every
honest heart on Georges Creek, preached the
sermon, and his thirty minutes discourse on
the Island of Destiny" was given in his very
best vein. His word-painting ofthe suffering
of lreland's patron saint in planting the faith
in the Emerald isle was a masterpiece that
will be long remembered by many of his
auditors.
Under direction of chief Marshal f. j.
Walsh, the procession formed upon the con-
| clusion of the church service and passed
through the principal streets.
Chief Marshal Walsh had for his aids-P
J. Creegan and NJ. J. Creegan, of Midland :;
William w. Martin, OF Vale Summit, James
T. Nonan, of Mt. Savage, all mounted upon
| richly comparisoned horses and wearing the
county officers elegant regala. They rode at
the head of the line and were followed by the
speakers and some distinguished visitors from
abroad in carriages Among the latter Eugene
| ODunne, ID. J. SCalley, Charles p. Monahan
Thomas J. CavanauSh and NJ. J. Reddng, of
Baltimore, John Chambers, of Frostburg.
| Fath ND
mittee from the Ladies Auxiliary of Western
port.
Then came the Homecoming Cornet Band
leading Division No. |, of Homecoming, and
as they marched into Main street the Band
struck up the Wearing of the Green"
Again Harrigans lines just fitted the scene
We marched behind the band true sons of
| of Paddys land; the Irish boys for style are
| excellent-excellent, etc.
Then followed Vale Summit Band with
Division No. 3 Barton Division No 3, West
ernport Division No. 4, South Cumberland
Band with Division No. 6, Union Band of
Mt. Savage with Division No I, of Frostburg,
Division No 8, of Mt. Savage and Division
No. s. of Midland.
| When the parade was over dinner was
served IN Eagans Opera House, Wilson's and
Bottoms hall. The good ladies of Midland
had made ample provision for all and the
tables were tastefully arranged and loaded
down with the very best of everything
good to eat.
Al night literary and musical program
was carried out at Eagans Opera House.
Frank Richardson's Orchestra, of Frostburg.
| Ii.
Stanton made the opening address in very
| pleasing manner and Thomas Murphy acted as
master of ceremonies. Eugene O'Dunnes adj
dress on The Day We Celebrate" was an up
todate effort and brought down the house
again and again. He is an earnest, fluent
| orator of considerable talent and pleased
every one present. His welcome when he
comes to Midland again will be wide as
the earth and as warm as the sun" William
Cavanaugh sang very pretty Irish song
and d. }. Scally talked at length on THE
Gaelic Movement" The very best and most
pleasing number on the program was Mrs
Harry Wards rendition of the old and
familiar song entitled Come Back to Ire
land" Her whole soul was in her voice
and it throbbed and pulsated with that song
of remembrance freighted with love and
tenderness for the aged man and woman
whose lips had become too old to sing Some
times the notes were clear like the sound of
vesper bells that steal from some old mon
astery across the water-now soft and sweet
like rain-drops falling into quiet pools, and
then, rising with passionate sadness, they
fell upon the ears and told of the old love
back in the cOuntry-tield ere he left the old
home. They woke the echoes of old times
which are sweet in all hearts and even the
rollicking boys found their eyes moist. They
woke the echoes and the echoes told of we'll
remembered spots where robins drink and
old friends come back the birds that to us in
youth sang again. Again the trees whisper
Old longiDgs that we thought were dead came
throngmg back till the part seemed all ablaze
again and we walked in AUD Lang Syne"
1t was grand effort and the little lady was
enco.ed again ana again.
Charles p. Monahan, of Baltimore, presi.
dent of the Irish Historical Society, read re-
view of Irelands struggles in the past CEN
fury.
All in all the entertainment was pleasing
One-a vertable feast of reason and flow of
SOUL and closed with all singing God Save
Ireland"