The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-03-17

Sometimes they were tired and lay
down to rest, and sometimes they
twisted and turned and tried to go back
and pretended they had lost their way.
They made many excuses and then
suddenly they started to reebel against
st. Patrick. and with kissing sound
they rose against him and tried to
poison him.
But St. Patrick was armed with
something far more powerful than mere
commands: he had his melodious bell
which had been given him by the an
gels, and of all sounds in the world
the ringing Of a heavenly bell Is most
terrible to a demon or reptile. and the
silvery tones of this bell frightened
these reptiles more than all the bells
in the country ringing together.
Now, when st. Patrick saw these
wicked serpents make ready to sting
him and saw that they would no longer
obey his commands and threats, he
uncovered the bell, and the moment
they heard the first tinkle they rushed
forward in a body to scramble up the
side Of the hill and away from the
sound they hated. AS soon as they
reached the top they began to sway to
and fro in their fright, for there far
beneath the dark rocks lay the blue
waters of the ocean. But they could
not wait there long, for as soon as
st. Patrick came to the summit he
made a sign for them to come near
him, and, creeping and crawling, they
covered at his feet waiting to hear
their doom. There was no escape ior
them. The good ST. Patrick stood over
them and. lifting his stan in his hand,
he pointed far out over the sea.
Forward every one into the seal"
he commanded. land henceforth this
blessed isle Of Erin shall be free for
80
They lay at his feet kissing and
writing in agony. but st. Patrick be-
gan to uncover Finn FOya." Az soon
as they saw the bell. and before st.
Patrick had hardly drawn it from its
case, the reptiles went rushing and
rocks. About half way down the
mountain side there was a deep hollow
In the side OF the rock, which Is open
toward the sea but is hidden from the
mountain top by a huge rock. Here is
this chasm they tried to hide, for they
felt they were quite safe under the
shadow of the overhanging cliff, but
st. Patrick. knowing all things, knew
their crafty cunning, and he followed
them as far as he could over the
mountain side. then looking down over
the brow Of the steep rocky wall he
spoke in loud tones. Come forth from
Your hiding place and go forward into
the sea' Then he rang his bell as
loudly as he was able, but whether the
sounds were softened at that great
height or whether the roaring noise OF
the surf drowned the sound, the
snakes would not obey the command
OF st. Patrick nor the bell, and they
did not move from their rocky shelter.
Then st. Patrick swung the bell
around his head and flung 1t with all
MS might over the brow Of the cliff.
Down, down 1t came. c1inking and
cianking, bound after bound, right into
| their midst. This was more than the
demons could stand. so Kissing and
disappeared under the waves.
from that time, they say. the chasm
wnere they tried to hide has been called
Lugna Demon" or The Demons Hol-
| iow, and some say that the bell still
remains under the earth where 1t fell.
while others say that story Is not true,
Tor the bell was brought back by min
istering spirits and put into the hand
OF st. Patrick. and he had to throw it
many times and each time he threw it
the reptiles were forced forward m
| their journey.
It surely must have been brought
back to st. Patrick for when we go to
Dublin and visit In the Science and Art
museum. we will see this bell. the
Finn Foya-" or Sweet Voice."
Many visitors to Ireland climb this
high mountain called the "Croagh
Patrick" Cor the 'Crauch Phadraig,"
or Rick Of st. Patrick" az It IL called.
This mountain IL 2.51O feet above the
sea and 1t seems to 60 to q cone shaped
top. At this top. however. there II q
small platform, and there people can
look tar on over the beautiful coun-
Try OF Ireland on ono side. an- ON the