The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-15

And from that day to this not a snak could be found in all of the Emera Id
 Isle.
 Another account of it is. even more
 interesting. There was one h1Ir.
 snake, II seems, living on the shores
 of the beautiful Lakes of killarney.
 that had not been driven out with his
 fellows. St. Patrick heard of this
 seuoporn reptile and set out straight
 way to expel him. He secured T
 large, strong chest made of stout oak
 With heavy lid and huge bolts 10
 fasten it down.
 One bright sunny morning old Alr4
 Snake was lying on the shore s,,nnins
 himself and enjoying the balmv air
 Like all snakes under such conditions
 the big fellow was lazy and slugrisl,
 Just then. along came st. Patriels
 carrying his big oaken chest. And
 presently. he had Mir. Snake securely iocked inside the chest. Then inc ser- pent began to beg and plead to be le; out; but St. Patrick wouldn't listen to him and straightway cast the chest. With the snake inside into the lake
 Al, snake, of course, was drowned.
 but that is not all of the story. hVer afterwards, it seems. the fisher men along the shores could hear the snake crying and begging to be let out or the chest. And further. MT snakes Writhing and twisting abolt Nas what caused the waves. Now doesn't that sound like a real fairy I ", Dorothy?
 Nui nerc are few facts about Si
 h-lhseli that are, l think, eS-ea
 E" Interesting. Though it has neye:s been definitely decided by historians IS believed he was born in the year St A. D.. some contending, however. that 1t was five years earlier. And he lived to be from seventy-eigh to one and twenty years of age. ae cording to various estimates. Good ness me even the former is a good old age. isn't it.
 When only sixteen years of age bc along with his two sisters. was can, tured by pirates-yes, real. blood thirsty pirates and taken from hrance over to Ireland There he was made to tend the fiocks of sheen that belonged to the pirates, high up m the fastnesses of the mountains And during six long years of this slavery the boy, Patrick, always prayed fervently to his God for deliv- trance. Then, one day. he escaped in small boat and succeeded in reach ng the coast of France again. "Oh. l almost forgot to tell you another very strange story about St. fatrlck' When he first landed in reiand as a captive of the pirates. ! seems, ne was sold to certain other 'lrates Tor an old kettle. But when 'ver this kettle was filled with water lnd placed over fire to boil a strange hing happened. Despite the heat from ne nre-even though they piled on treat logs to make it burn--the water n the kettle not only remained cold 'ut, the longer they left it on the fire he colder the water became. Indeed. would not boil at all until St. Pat ick himself prayed over 1t.
 Twice, SO the story runs. St. Pat ick was near death. Once. a wicked nan planned to waylay the Saint as le was riding along in a chariot, alone xcept for the driver. But this brave river of the chariot, who had learned f the plot, after while pretended Q be very tired and asked St. Pat ick to drive for a while so he might ecline in the seat of the chariot and est. Of course, being a most kindly, thoughtful man. St. Patrick consented. hen when the assassin suddenly prang out with his dagger he stab ed the driver. believing him to be t. Patrick.
 "On another occasion bold rob CT tried to kill St. Patrick but was Then, seeing the Saints over he was sorry for his wicked ess and begged to be allowed to do enance. So St. Patrick commanded i'm to get into a small boat made leather and trust himself to the ercy of the waves. This the con srted robber did and, to his amaze ent, he finally landed safely on the lie of Man where, from then on, he d an honest life and before his >ath, became the Bishop Or the land
 What St. Patrick really did for eland was to drive out the ancient ruids and their pagan beliefs and 'nvert the entire land to Christi lity. And. to this day, in many parts
 Ireland, are to be found standing ones with cross carved upon. them by order of St. Patrick and as mbol of the peoples conversion to And now, Dorothy. don't u think 1t will be nice to remember ese things next Tuesday, St. Pat \ :k's birthday?"