The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-09-13
tt, THE EDITOR
THE HERO OF A TOTAL ARsTI.
NENcE sToRY-PATRIcK
LEO, OF ST. PAUL.
TO the Editor, Catholic Bulletin


To the Editor, Catholic Bulletin
A story, often repeated in Total
Abstinence gatherings by Archbishop
Ireland, Is made actual and vivid by
notice in last evenings st. Paul
Dispatch.
Now long ago, the Archbishop has
been wont to say, was strolling Of a
summer evening along one of the
streets in the upper-toWn of st. Paul.
The figure of friend Of mine was
seen, hammering a piece of wood in
front of a new and neatly-built cot
tage. approached with the salute:
well, Patrick, what are you doing
here?' Industrying," answered he,
putting some last touches to this
house of mine." "This house of
yours" replied. Have you had the
money to pay for this fine building?"
yes, indeed" he answered.; "this
house is paid for, and so is the next
house, mine also-one to live in, the
other to be rented to some neighbor"
My wonder grew. why, how is this,
Patrick? remember well when you
had very little money" $50 do re-
member" replied Patrick, "but I
have found the money. You, Father
Ireland, gave it to me-" Still more
did my wonder grow "Come inside"
continued Patrick, and in an instant,
following his quick pace, I was up
stairs in Patrick's bedroom. Look
here" he said; here is the deed of
gift" I looked: on the wall, above
the bed, nicely framed, was the docu-
ment-I promise to abstain, during
my lifetime, from all intoxicating
drinks Signed, Patrick Wit
messed, John Ireland. The mystery
of the two houses, the property of
Patrick, was explained. With glad
some hand / saluted him: with warm
heart | prayed for further success to
the cause of total abstinence.
This the story so often told by
Father Ireland, by Archbishop Ire
land. And now the notice in last
evenings st. Paul Dispatch: "Pat-
rick Leo, one of st. Paul's old set
tiers, died early this morning. =
He was Hibernian, and member
of Father Mathews Temperance So
ciety."
The writer of the present letter
quickly recognized in Patrick Leo,
the Patrick .-the hereof the Arch
bishops oft-told story, and he fer
vently lisped the prayer-Peace to
the soul of Patrick Leo!
Who of his acquaintances will not
with me today say the prayer of love
Peace to the soul of Patrick Leo, a
truly good man!
The faithful total abstainer Patrick
Leo ever was, from the day, now for
ty-three years ago, when he gave his
promise to Father Ireland, down to
another world Whether the old paper
is still extant, do not know. If so,
it is sacred relic, telling of self-ab-
negation, of virtues nurtured by it, of
peace and happiness begotten from
it, along the years of nearly half
century.
Ever a total-abstainer, ever indus
trying, as ne hlmselT used TO say,
ever true practical Catholic-Pat-
rick Leo was able to bring up large
family of children in comfort and in
honor None knew him but to respect
and love him. None ever detected a
fault in his quiet, unobtrusive, honest
life. None there are, who may not
learn from his memory the hottest
lesson, that the precious life, blessed
of God, valued in eternity, is the life
passed in doing ones duty-however
much or little the world around gives
attention to it. Again, peace to the
soul of Patrick Leo!
The writer of the present letter
knows that deepest friendship al
ways, unto the end, linked to Arch
bishop Ireland the hero of his total
abstinence story. More than once the