Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-03-17
ST. PATRICK'S DAY
ObserVances Appropriate to the
Occasion Held in Rock
island.
BIG BALL GIVEN TONIGHT
Foundation ofIhe Traditions Dear to
Hearts of the Sons of
Erin.

| i
have their inning today. While the
weather man appears not to be in
sympathy with the event, the sons of
tie Emerald isle have occasion to re-
ioice over the fact that the green is
holding its own. Even the grass smil-
! ed in spots. and the dTessmakers' con
vention has decreed that that color
shall predominant in the apparel of
women the coming spring and sum
mer.
| There were services in observance
/ of the feast of St. Patrick in the Ro-
man Catholic churches Of the city
this morning. This evening. at Indus
trial home, will take place the annual
ST. Patrick's ball of the Western Cath
Ollie Union.
Was I,5OO Years Ago.
Nearly 1,j00 years ago today a man
walked through the Gaultie noun
tainS, between the counties of Tip
perary and Cork, in ireland. He car
ried willow wand in one hand. and in
the other Il small drum which he beat
necessarily. And before him was "a
strange procession Of snakes and SER
penis and venomous reptiles, kissing
and wriggling. and threatening, but
.still crawling on. in the direction
pointed out by that slim willow wand.
This is the ST. Patrick that the
freshmen revere. The saint that the
church has canonized only figurative-
~ drove the snakes out of Ireland
waging war against the serpents of
intemPerance and sIoth and paganism.
But to the loyal Irishman the legend
is true. and his st. Patrick is never
pictured without the drum and the
slim willow wand, pointing the way
for the snakes. But, superstition or
not, it is certainly true that snakes
60 not thrive in Irish soil.
Came of Patrician Family.
The real st. Patrick was born i'll
372, of parician family. At the age
of Is he was stolen by pirates, who
sold him into slavery in Ireland.
He was employed as swineh1rd. in
the county of Antrim, by his master
for seven years, during which time
he gained his knowledge of the Irish
people and language. When Il Young
man he escaped from captivity. and
made his way back TO the continent.
Then there followed stories of a won
derfuI spiritual growth. The boy was
made deacon, then priest and finally
bishop. and, with the authority of
Pope Celestine, returned TO ireland to
preach the gospel to its then heather
Inhabitants.
The principal enemies that he found
to the Introduction of chris ianity in
to Ireland were the Druid priests, who
were exceedingly adverse to any in
novation.
Their obstinate antagonism was 81
great, say The legends. that st. Pat
rick was compelled to curse their
fertile lands, so that they became
dreary boys. to curse their rivers. So
that they produced no fish; to curse
their very kettles. so that they would
not boil; and. finally. as a last resort
to curse the DrHids themselves. so
Fthat the earth opened ANA swallowed
them up.
About the Shamrock.
The shamrock, or small white clov-
er. is almost universally worn in the
hat, all over Ireland. on st. Patrick's
day. The popular notion is that to
explain the doctrine If the Trinity to
the Pagan Irish. st. Patrick used this
plant, bearing three leaves upon one
stem. as a symbol or illustration Of
the great mystery.
1t was after many years of labor
among his chosen people that the real
St. Patrick went to his rest. Legen-
dairy history tells us that he was 121
years old when he was laid away be
tween two great rocks at Down Pat
rick. And, according to the legend
that still lives in that part of the
county. on every March Il, the
anniversary of his death and of the
country, a lark sings at day break
upon his grave, to warn away the
snakes.