The Irish standard., 1904-05-21
SOMEWHAT OF A SEER.
Strange Story Of a Man Who Foretold
GaivtStOn'S Flood.

There died ut Dallas, Tex, last
week, an odd character whose life had
been spent i'll many parts of the globe.
and whose peculiar distinction it was
to have foretold the Galveston flood.
His name was Michael Rennie, and he
was known throughout the country as
the odd telescope man." He died sud
denly ut the workingmen's hotel con.
Quoted by the Salvation Army, Upon
the window sill near his bed was found
an open Bible and well-wom hymn
book. On the tlylcaf of the Bible was
written: Give this book to Father
kirwin. Michael Renncy. Galveston"
Inside the flylcaf WAS written:
IF anything should happen to me,
sudden death. this is my will. You
will find enough money in the boss of
my telescope to pay my expenses, and
Il mass for my soul. the remainder to
he given to Father Kirwin for the use
of the little orphan school. the tele-
scope and one microscope. One micro
scope for Father Kirwin himself
present from mc.-Aicharl Rcnnic."
Ernnir WAS born in Scotland more
than three score Years ago He re-
crivcd some education and soon drift.
"d ont as Il sailor before the mast to
the r,idS of the earth.
For more than twenty years he fol-
lowed the rough ways of the sea-. In
IN" early 'S'S llr arrived ut Galveston
in Il iutr ship, ana left the sea for
the interior of Texas. lIc settled ut
l'nllas and became the moving spirit
of the Liberal club. an awnostic organ.
izalion.
He soon tired of life away from the
seal and eventually landed in Australia
during the period of the Melbourne en-
position. One day by chance he wan
dcrr,l into the Catholic cathedral at the
moment Of the elevation of the Host.
and aftrrward declared that he saw in
the priests hands the Infant Child
He returned the following day and
witnessed the same sight Immediate
~ he applied to the priest for instruc-
ton in the Catholic faith.
At the close of tho exposition in Mel
bourne he purchased Il street telescope
and two hinucuar microscopes sent
out by troucl, X Son, Of London. He
continued his travels. finally returning
to the United States. He gave exhibit
tons in every large city ana gradually
worked his way back to Texas
In regard I" the prophecy about the
great Hood. Father Kirwin vourhcs for
the following story:
ION the Thursday evening preceding
the great Galveston storm cncoun-
tered him at the corner of Market and
fremont. He was not busy as Il show
man. and | engaged him in cunvrrS:l-
tioll. Ilc made arrangements for a
mass FOR his deceased parents on the
following Tuesday, and promised to
no present thcrcat.
"Murll to my surprise he came in the
following mornny-lc was a regular
attendant ut the early maSs-;,nd said
he would not wait over until Tuesday,
rs Inc had been warned to leave the
city.
81 see a terrible. cnguling nood,'
was the way he wordcd it, 4 sec thou
sands Struggling in ii ana hundreds of
floating dead. Then I see II stccl-yray
wall. stretching from one extremity of
the city to the other ana then see
the wall disappear
''Rcnnic left the city on an early
morning train. The following day the
storm bore down upon us. and after
events, the worlds charity and Gal
voston's pluck have built the steel
gray wall; and now the grade rising
aud the gradual secretion of sand upon
its Senwnr,l side are about to cause it
to disappear from view"
Father Kirwin. who is rector of st.
Mnry's cathedral at Galveston. and
whose name became national property
ut the time of the flood hy reason Of
his unrNamplcd work and hcroism
went to Dallas to olliciate ut the
funeral.