Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-17
Seumas MacManus in
Irish Fairy-F ok Lore

For an hour and half Saturday
afternoon members Of the Rock Is
land Moman's club meeting ia regu-
lar December session IN Masonic tenn
pie were entertained with the Inter
esting narration Uf Irish fairy and
folklore stories by Seumas Mac
Manus. real freshman with the rich,
broad brogue Of the son OF Ireland.
Mr. MacMauus has given painstaking
care to the study Of the fairy and folk
lore of his native land and has gath /
cred many stories into book form that I.
the richness of the lore that is handed .
down from generation 70 generation, !
may be enjoyed by those who can
never have the opportunity Of hearing
them told by son OF the island. with
the result that he has a great num-
Der Of beautiful legends and stories
at his command. Mr.. MacManus said
that the beautiful art of story telling
IS fast dying out IN many OF the coun-
tries Of the world or being put aside
for more material things, but not so
in ireland where the legends and
stories of the land are TevereBced and
cherished. The story teller holds high
rank and no glen or valley but has
az least one acknowledged story teller
These legends and folklore have been
handed down from year to year for
many generations and are very old
and full Of interest, With the falling
Of dusk the tlrf fires are lighted on
the hearths and as the youth gather
around the dancing blaze the story
telling begins and so wonderful
store is there Of legends that the tales
never run out. He spoke especially Of
the rich store Of heroic tales and d.
vided the remainder into romantic,
poetic, humorous and fairy tales He
said that the people of Ireland still
have a lasting faith in fairies and re-
ate wonderful stories Of how they
have helped especially the poor Of the
and. The story goes that the fairies
are the fallen angels, or rather the
neutral ones who were cast out Of
heaven at the time Of the great bat
tie when the bad angels were sent to
the lower regions and the good ones
kept in heaven The fairies are those
who took no sides and as they could
hardly be permitted to remain in the
heavenly land they were cast out,
must VI NlNii AsNAtlAta bt ~ lE1ll oOilf anu
they still have the hope that Cod s
heart will melt towards them and that
they will some time be called back to
the mansions in heaven. Ireland s
folklore is the richest in the world
and IT'S people cherish and preserve
1t with great faith and care.
Mr.. MacM2nus related a number of
stories to show the character Of the
legends and folklore aud kept his
hearers intensely interested. He has
the true art Of the story teller and
puts It to good use In keeping the sus.
tanned interest of his audience.
The musical part Of the program
was given by Miss Harriet Larkin
who sang. Colleen Aroon" by Lily
Strickland and Kerry Dance by
Molly. Mrs. J. r. Tucls acting as &C
5ompanist
At the business session Of the clul
he president, Mrs II. A. Cleaveland
presiding. the action of the executive
BOARD was approved In voting S200 {,
he Red Cross war fund.
Reports were given for the civic de
partment by its chairman, Mrs. G. L
Sharpe, who announced the Christ
mas party TO be held Dec. % at tn
Masonic temple; for the study de
partment by Mrs C.. A. Boehme. TO
the music department by the vic
chairman, Miss MAY Culton. who an
nounCed the quad-city reciprocit
meeting TO be held Jan s. and the So
eial service department in a commun
lcation from its chairman, Mrs. G.. +
Castetter, who asked the cooperatio
Of the club in securing the closing {
the stores Christmas eve As iii
closing Of the stDres at that time do
ponds upon the brisk trade of the earl
part of this week the chairman al
pealed TO the women Of the club
shop at once that the bulk of the trad
will be finished before Christmas ev
She also made an appeal for the ira,
eler's aid fund in maintaing a matro
at the Rock Island station Nine ne
members were voted into the club an
are; Mesdames A. G. Sheesley.
Laughery. T. A. OHara, r. c. An,
rews, Il. E. Phillips, r. b. Miller. i
NJ. Blood, l. S. Custer and Miss Els
NNfpklar