The Ordway new era., 1908-03-13
IL BATRlCK,
BEHRELAND%

Dear Shamrock of Erin. so sacred and
green.
Though ages OF sorrow thy past years
have seen:
From chidhood's bright morning to man.
hoods decline
Thy lenfiet We wear DER our hearts ever
thine.
In Moores poem on the shamrock
he tells OF the triple grass which
Shoots up. with dcwdrops streaming.
AS softly green emerald seen.
Through purest crystal cleaning.
o. the Shamrock. tho green immortal
Shamrock,
Chosen leaf of bard and chief.
Old Erin's native Shamrock!
by many OF the faithful in Wales
and elsewhere Irish soil Is imported to
keep away serpents. and 1t has been
declared that n bite OF Irish clay will
kill snake.
Patricks labors in ireland lasted
more than 30 years. In Downpatrick.
near the place where as slave he
once tended sheep. his ashes are now
believed to repose.
In Down. three saints one grave do NIL
Patrick. Bridget and Columb XIII.
The mere student OF folklore little
guesses the feelings OF the son of
Erin who bears the shamrock In his
cap or wears 1t on his breast. To him
1t embodics all the religious and ro-
mantle. mythical and national ideas
which ever have stirred in the souls of
his forefathers. The great love for
the plant inspired the famous ballad
The Wearin' o the Green" which
tells that They're hangin' men and
women for the wearin' o the green"
This did not mean. OF course. that
people were being hanged for that.
but 1t was poetical exaggeration i'm.
plying their willingness to die. II nee.
cssary. rather than give up wearing 1t.
For the last half dozen years. under
the inspiring influence OF the Sham.
rock league. happily instituted and
even more happily carried on by the
Countess of Limerick. there has been
an unprecedented demand for the Irish
national emblem. Thousands upon
thousands OF little green boxes filled
with tiny lunches OF the trefoil have
annually been packed by that great
hearted woman and her friends and
sold the world over. the proceeds
going to aid disabled Irish soldiers and
the destitute relatives OF those Irish.
men who have fallen In battle. Last
winter nearly 300 of the poor In Coun-
ties Clare and Limerick alone tided
over the hard weather on the profit
derived from the patriotic sale of
shamrock
And where does all the shamrock
come from? 1t grows wild In every
county OF Ireland. Along the noun
tains. In the old hill-pastures and In
the venerable meadows. 1t may be
picked in small quantities as early in
the year as February %. and fort
night later in luxurious abundance.
The tiniest and therefore the most
priced variety is usually found along
the bank of n dry ditch where there is
no grass. for the poorer and more arid
the soil the better the shamrock Not
a BARN in Ireland but knows all the
best places near his home to look for
the little green leaf. 1t Is the children
who are the gatherers. For days
just before the good saints festival
the hills around Stepaside and Stillo-
gan and the Scalp will be dotted over
with the Industrious diminutive toll.
ers whose profits may In no case ex.
ceed two dollars but who are supreme
ly happy in their patriotic task.
There are national emblems that
may be eaten. Not SO the shamrock.
man may eat leek and enjoy It, n
Scot might even try a thistle. but an
1rishman must drown his shamrock.
That is as sure as is March II itself.
'lG5E;f!sA l5E;f!sA kEGEysra ssiyES2ffn