Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1907-05-30
How Patrick
Saved the Bank
IAN Irish Folk TaIe.)
BY Seumas MacManus
Copyright. by Joseph B. Bowles.)

Copyright, by Joseph B. Bowles)
It's mighty wonderful if you have
never heard tell of how Patrick saved
the bank.
Ye see it was this way. The Bank
of Ireland was at that time owned by
man named O'Toole, who was
a great grandson's great grandson of
King O'Toole. He was mean fell
low, who didn't take after his ances-
tors; and the devil tempted him to
covet making tremendous pile of
money, all at one haul So he en-
ployed sea captain and sent him off
on voyage round the whole known
world, to find where and how the most
money was to be made, upon spec
ulation of any particular description.
And this sea captain sailed for the
three years and three days, returning
back, at the end of it, to tell his mas
| ter that, in the South sea islands, the
natives would give their one eye-if
they had only one-for scalpeens
| (salted mackerels), and he said that
there was loads of money to be made
by sending out venture of that
commodity there.
O'Toole he jumped with joy when
he heard this, and he not only gath
cred every penny he owned himself,
and likewise every penny that was
invested in the bank with him; but,
moreover, he sent messengers, east
and west in Ireland, for to notify
every man who had shilling Of
money put by in old stockings, for
to fetch it to him, and lend it to
him for a year and day, and at the
end of that time he would pay them
back double.
And the amount of money he took
in, on loans, in three weeks, was a
miraculous sight.
Well, the year and day wore
round, and every man, woman and
child in Ireland that had a penny in
vested in the Bank of Ireland walked
up to Dublin, at the end of the time,
to draw their money and their inter-
est; but lo and behold We, the sea
captain and his fleet hadn't re-
turned
Andy O'Toole he asked of the peo-
pie to give just ten days sparin's, and
his feet would be in. What to do he
didn't know, for he was sore afraid
that the fleet would not be in within
the ten days.
So he sent private messengers
throughout all the land, and gathered
up to Dublin at once every great and
clever man that could be found, and
here and then offered each man
his weight in gold, when the
boats would come home, if they could
invent some plan of saving himself
and saving his bank till the arrival of
the fleet
But all of the plans put together, if
they were tried, couldn't save two
states on the bank.
Now there was at this time in the
far parts of Donegal poor man
who went by the name of Dark Pat
rick, by reason that he was dark Wis
aged, and had a black head and
black beard, and he was noted for
sound sense.
He looked around him, and seeing
the woe and lamentation that was
over the country and the ruin that
was going to be wrought if the Bank
If Ireland failed, he seen it his duty
TO step in and give the benefit of his
advice. So he gathered together his
little bundle of things in red hand
kerchief and faced for Dublin.
Now it was on the very last day Of
the Bank of Ireland's sparins that
Dark Patrick arrived in Dublin, and,
finding it was so late, didn't even
wait to look for lodgings or get
pick to ate, but inquired his way to
the Bank of Ireland, and to the coun-
Gil chamber in it.
O'Toole welcomed Dark Patrick,
and he told him that, as all the 9TH
ers had failed him, and as the worst
had come to the worst, it was no
harm for him to have his try. If he
didn't do any good, O'Toole said, he
couldn't do any harm.
Dark Patrick bowed gravely, and he
inquired of O'Toole, and satisfied him
self that the fleet was, sure enough,
safely on it's way, and couldn't be far
from the coast of Ireland now, and
that it carried loads and lashin's of
money to pay, and double pay, all
claims. And, when he was contented
on this point, he asked O'Toole what
was the most money, in gold and sill
yer, he could, by any means, obtain,
beg, borrow, or in any ways come
honestly by.
O'Toole said that he owed a hun
dred thousand pounds, and that the
most money he could now obtain, beg
or borrow, to pay off his debt, would
be G1,000
What" says Dark Patrick, says he,
proceeding to the window, and look
ing at the houses opposite, what is
that establishment that / see oppo.
site me?"
THAT establishment" says O'Toole,
says he, sis mandatory of horny
buttons"
well an good" says Dark Pat.
rick, 81 now want you to do three