Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-04-01

phQeI dAu pLSsoAt ~ Al
 full.
 Before launching forth on my sup ject, feel that owe this large, soou- natured Waterbury audience two apol, ogies. I take it you are good-natufeu or you would not be present. tlrst' apology for reading. In common Wlth most people I enjoy hearing person talk rather than listening to nm reau. You will readily realize that the tscene change in my home, entailing as it nas all immense amount of new oelails, has prevented me from memorlzlhs this story. Second. many of the Irish melonlesa have been omitted and some or tnen will probably be favorites or yours Well, in regard to this, the singers have felt that they are alreaoy ovel- worked, then much of this paper is founded on the magnificent iectuSe v the brilliant and gifted .father pulhe, .s and the songs mentioned py niii na been largely used.
 Atleast once a year we have strong desire to hear that song. dear to all Irish hearts, "St Patrick's Day. l have no apology to offer for that song. | know 1t is difficult to sing;. It IS wordy. Musicians call 1t jingle. But where is the person of Irish blood who does not thrill at the sound2 gen eratIon back, when our fathers ana mothers. nfter leaving their native < land. were painfully toiling amid un- friendly surroundings. how often were they cheered by the strains Of thls song. At the close of this talk all are invited to arise and sing, with one powerful voice, "St Patrick's Day" and the good-natured public may listen, outside. The Irish race Is ana from the very earliest times has been passionately fond of music. The race ls temperamental, easily yielding to sudden change of feeling, from grave to gay, from lively to severe. lrlsh wit, is world-famous and Irish patnos as far reaching, while Irish generosity and hospitality are proverbial. Ihese characteristics make the artistic tenn perament, the most interesting because the most appreciative of music, poetry art, all that is best and most ideal III life.
 ISLAND OF SONG.
 The proudest title which ancient his rory bestows upon Ireland IS the ssIsland of Song.r and well has she de- served 1t. While other nations bear upon their banners emblems to repre- sent power. like the lion. the cross to represent faith, the stars, like our OWL loved banner, to represent hope, me Irish banner alone has musical ln- strument. the golden harp on field of green. thus establishing n claim to an cfent civilization While other na- tions were sunk in the deepest degrada- tion, even worshiping swine, the bards of Ireland gave vent to the loftiest emotions of the soul through song. Music has a powerful influence on J the soul of map. When Saul, king of Israel abandoned his God, and an evil spirit came upon him, the youth David, by the sweet strains of his harp, ban ighed the evil spirit and soothed the king as no one else could. The sense of hearing through music is the most spiritual of all the senses
 When the Jesuits went down to evangelize South America. the hostile tribes appeared on all sides and. led by their chieftains and warriors, stood ready to send their poisoned arrows hfhrough the hearts of those brave men @ The sayages would not listen to the teachings of tie missionaries, nor al low them to approach. At last one Jesuit began to sing beautiful hymn and gradually all the voices of the mis, sionaries joined in to swell the chorus 4@until this wild new land rang with the
 elody. The savages dropped theil
 pons, rushed into the river and
 erly followed the boats. drinking
 ravishing sounds. Thus music
 their hearts and prepared tht
 pr the first teachings of Chris
 the soldier, wearied after
 arches, arrives on the battle
 A0ping for a few hours rest be ne being called to duty, at the sound Df the bugle is obliged to stand tc arms all day and face death in every form. When after prolonged strug gle, tired nature seems to yield. tht military band peals forth some grant national anthem, his whole being i. animated with renewed fire, and spurred onward, he rushes to victory led by overmastering patriotism Ill spired by music. Tn our own Spanisl war, when work had to be done under the blazing tropical sun, our poor sol diers, weakened by disease and hardl, pit to labor. would start some favoritt song, and instantly all worked togeth nr harmoniOusly and happily. So muci Or the universal power of music.
 Many centuries before Christianit, ga beamed upon Ireland. Milesius and hi sons came from Spain and settled il Ireland. An ancient prophecy of th, pruids foretold that the sons of a cer tain chief called Gadelius were to in herit n beautiful island in the west This prophecy so haunted Milesius tha NY became dream of hope, and he re solved to seek this islnnd of Irinisfail M The poet. in speaking of this histori event. beautifully says:
 They came from land beyond the sen
 And now. o'er the western main. Set sail. in their good ships gallaptly.
 From the sunny land of Spain. "Ol, where's the isle we've seen il
 dreams?
 Our destined home or grave" Thus sung they. as by the morning beams.
 They swept the Atlantic wave.
 An To. where afar o'er ocean shines,
 4 sparkle of radiant green,
 As though In that deep lay cmeralt
 mines.
 Whose light through the waves wa
 sapU