The Irish standard., 1904-01-30
MANKATO HIBERNIANS.
Imposing Ceremonies Of Initiation Of
Large Class Last Tuesday.
Mankato, MINI, Jan. 81.

MdnkaCO, MINI, Jan. II.
To the Editor of the Irish Standard.
Your representative having the
good luck to be present at the great
A. o. H. ceremonies here last night,
cannot but write you a short account
of same. The object of the big meet
ing was to witness the initiation of
a new class into the order in Blue
Earth county, which consisted of some
thirty young men, and it was grand
sight. The big four team from st.
Paul did the work most solomnly and
grand. Emblazoned with steel, green
and gold, it was inspiring. State
President Regain was at his best and
was here, there and everywhere, as
usual, and seemed right at home. His
people fairly loves that young man of
the A. o. H. highest honors. r. J.
Clarke was master of ceremonies for
part of the time and his well-known
executive ability was there exempli-
fed most deliberately indeed. Stephen
McEllistrom was grand guide, and it
was good thing from start to finish.
There never was a hitch. Steve is
perfection itself. But "Tom' Connol-
ly, the ever-genial Honest Tom," our
state secretary, did the hardest work,
and as oracle lectured hard and later
was styled the ladies' man. Madison
Lake was the very best represented
locality at the exercises. This, of
course, includes Marysburg, or, as Fa-
Their McCabe would have it, Madison
Lake. It is small part of Marys-
burg. st. Claire was also represent
ed; and, of course, Mankato did the
honors, and with the assistance of the
beautiful daughters of Erin, who were
there in great numbers, served the
visitors one Of the best banquets it
was ever our pleasure to wire into.
Father Hughes, the eloquent and pa
triotic, was there in all his glory, and
of course so was Father McCabe, who
more than enjoyed John Gehan's ga
th:r O'Flynn." P. E. Kenny, the able
A. o. H. man Of Mankato, acted as
master Of ceremonies and did it we'll.
The program was excellent and par
ticipated in by R. J. Clarke, ]. J. Re-
gan, Thomas Connolly, Rev. Father
Hughes, Rev. Father McCabe, Miss
D. Hughes, M. J. Cuddy, T. B. Muir
laugh, NJ. ]. Daily, Steve McEllistrom.
The representative of the Irish Stand
ard was called on and was we'll treat
ed and we'll received by all present, in
Guiding the Rev. Clergy and chairman
Kenny; but John F. Gehan was the
sole life Of the whole evening. He
sang at his best most all Of his choice
Irish airs and they were melodious in
deed. All in all, Mr.. Editor, the A. O.
H. in Blue Earth county is now as it
never was before-strong, numerous,
and determined; and another large
class is promised before the daisies
bloom again at Madison Lake next
time, probably. The ceremonies, ban
quet and entertainment will long be
remembered with joy and pleasure by
all who had the good luck of being
there and the spacious halls were filled
to overfowing at that.
We also visited LIE Sueur and Belle
Plaine this trip and were it not for
the extreme cold weather could have
seen more to tell about. The St. Paul
and Minneapolis people are coming to
Belle PLANE on or about Feb. Z, when
another big A. o. H. boom will occur
in lie Sueur county. st. Thomas, LIE
Sueur and Belle Plaine can make up a
fair sized Irish regiment at any time
they take the notion, and think it is
coming on them now. The material
is there, that is one dead sure thing:
and all in the world it needs is a good
stirring up by such men as Clarke,
Regan, Connolly, Gehan and McEllis-