Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-17

Look at the shamrocks today and they
will tell you a story.
They are on the coats of all nations,
fguratively speaking. There are no lines
drawn. Men and women of nearly every
sect are proud of the fact that they honor
St Patrick.
The office boy and the bank president
were equally In evidence with their touch
OF green Let any man try to remove II;
he might as we'll attempt to take the Stars
and Stripes from the top of the national
capital
In exclusive social circles Of Rittenhouse
Square, as we'll as in Port Richmond, the
shamrock was much in evidence. and up
IN Port Richmond Jimmy Byrnes and Pat
Slavin were out with their touch of green
at the break of day.
why does every one stand up so
brayeIy for St Patrck?' said a business
man on his way to the office today
TITS because he was man." said an
other "and also an optimist."
ITS the old story OF everybody liking
n winner who gets his laurels on a square
deal basis" said well-known Irishman
BY way of setting the pace. the Presi
dent himself has a shamrock on the lapel
of his coat. And If you will notice other
officials with whom you come in contact
YOU will see that they too, are in the
army of the green.
a casual glance at the life of the i'm
mortal saint showed that his fame was
not attained without obstacles. Many
countries claim to be his natal soil, but
the question has never been decided. He
was born about the year 372 At the
age of I6 he was carried off by pirates
who sold him into slavery in Ireland. He
was then employed as swineherd on
mountain in the county of Antrim.
During the seven years which he passed
here he made himself acquainted with
the manners and customs of the people.
He escaped from captivity and after many
adventures reached the continent. He was
successfully ordained deacon. priest and
bishop and with the authority of Pope
Celestine he returned to Ireland to preach
the Gospel to its then heather inhabi-
tants
What is regarded as the greatest of st.
Patrick's miracles In legendary history
was that of driving venomous reptiles out
of ireland and rendering the Irish soil
SO obnoxious to the serpent race that they
instantly died on touching 1t. Colgan
seriously relates that st. Patrick accom-
plished this feat by beating a drum.
1t is generally believed that st. Patrick
died at Saul, on March II, 493, in the
1z1st year of his age. The place of his
burial is disputed, but the general evil
dence indicates that he was buried at
Downpatrics.
Great numbers attended the religious
observances of st. Patricl1's Day in st. Pat
ricl's Catholic Church, at goth and Ritten-
house streets, of which Monsignor William
Kleran is rector. Archbishop Prender-
CAST presided on the throne, and Bishop
McCort officlated as celebrant of a Pontif-
ical Mass The Rev. Charles Warren
Currier, titular bishop of Helatonia, sew
eral monsignors and a large number of
priests were in the sanctuary. The SER
mon was preached by the Rev. John ].
Wheeler.
There will be many celebrations to-
night in honor of the immortal saint. Gov
ernor Brumbaugh, Governor Dunno, of
Illinois; Archbishop Prendergast, Public
Service Commissioner Michael ]. Ryan
and others will speak at the 145th annual
dinner of the Society of Friendly Sons
OF st. Patrick, which will be held at the
Bellevue-Stratford Many branches of the
A. o. II. and other organizations will
also hold celebrations
The l. Triangle Club, Of the Germantown
Boys Club will give T. W. Robertson's
old English classic David GarriclI'' In
three acts tonight in the auditorium of
the Boys Club The rehearsals for this
play have extended over a period of 10
weeks, under the direction of T. Wayne
MacDowell, who will play the title role
OF David Garrick. The Germantown
Boys Club orchestra under the direction
of Charles H Lance, will render n pro-
gram suitable to the occasion,