The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-17

and shaking a fist as large as a ham in his face said: 'See here, me friend. it's bad enough for ye to belong to that dirty A. F. A. gang without ye stickin' that rag on yer coat, an for two pins Tde knock the face off ye.' Needless to say the remark took the editor by surprise, and he asked the meaning of the attack. Explanations followed and they all had a harty laugh over the incident and ad- journed to an adjacent saloon and par took of drop O the culd cratur." The badge went to the innermost depths of the inside coat pocket of the delegate where it remained during his visit to Chicago
 The story of St. Patrick has often been told, but like all good things, it ooes not lose in the telling. While there is some differences in the history of the great man the following facts have been recog- nized by the leading authorities:
 There is some uncertainty about the birthplace Of St. Patrick, and of the date of his birth, but these are mere trifles compared with the undisputed and authenticated evidence of his work While ministering to the people of Ire land. The story of the banishment of the frogs and snakes from the emerald isle. as related of St. Patrick, is not a circumstance to the visible fact that he established the Church of Christ
  ence he wielded in bringing Light out of darkness in that benighted land. Song and story recount the ban ishment of the reptiles; folklore and tradition tend to bear out the facts as related, but whether lore or legend fact or fancy, it is a mere incident in the life of the great and noble man and was completely overshadowed by the more important work that he ac- complished.
 Authorities differ as to the place of nativity of St. Patrick, and England, Scotland and France have been as scribed as the place of his birth. The date of his birth has been placed A D., S73. It is said that at the age Of f6 he was stolen by pirates and car ried to Ireland, where he remained cap tive for about six years. Littls seems to be known of his early training, but certain it is that he was learned in the Christian religion, for on regain ing his freedom he commenced the Christianization of heather Ireland. By his zeal and eloquence. his person. fluence felt. He proved himself a statesman as well as priest. He met and overcame the heathenish rites practiced by the people by adopting in part the same customs. He lighted great fires in opposition to the sacri- 11cla1 rites or the lJruluS ana so ilgnteu in Ireland in those days of long ago the light of Christianity that has never since ceased to burn.
 The great evangelistic work of St. Patrick can best be judged from the fact that during his long and useful life he built 365 churches, with schools connected with each He or ganized at least one archbishopric, he created two or more bishops and erected several colleges. And when bowed down by the weight of years and infirmities he laid down his self. imposed burden at Caul, town near DownpatriclS, Ireland. he was inferred in the abbey he had built and estab- lished to the intense grief of the peo- pie he had brought into the folds of the Christian religion.
 Not in the sacred history of all ages is there @ more beautiful or appeal ing story told of St. Patrick than that of his explanation of the divine trinity. Plucking shamrock from it's messy bed, <he held it aloft and pointed out the fact that it bore three leaves upon one stem, symb olizing the great mystery
 From this connection with their pat ron saint, the Irish adopted the sham rock as their emblem. Can 1t be wOpdorpd why they IOva ifo