The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-08-26
HUNDREDS BID
 FAREWELL TO FIR, O'ROURKE Ma iestic Theatre Is Throng- ed at Public Reception
 In His Honor.
SPEAKERS LAUD HIM
Handsome Purse Donated By His Many Friends
 In Belvidere.

| Daily Republican of Belvidere, Illin- ois, of August 19, on the event of the promotion of Rev. Wm. A. O'Rourke to the pastorate of the parish of Polo. Father O'Rourke is the, son of Mir John O'Rourke of the South End, this city.
 Father Wm. A. O'Rourke's fare well surprise was a huge success. The Majestic theatre was crowded to the doors Sunday night when BeIvidere and Boone county publicly said good bye to the genial assistant priest of the St. James parish in this city who has been placed in charge of the Po- To parish. If the people of Polo nev- CT before knew the stamp of a man that this young priest was the visit OTIS from that city learned last night in what warm affection he is held here and fully realize that they are secur- ing a citizen of whom they can well be proud.
 Long before the time for opening the meeting, namely 7:30, the people of Belvidere flocked to the Majestic Old and young from every denomina- ton came and by the time the hour for the beginning of the program ar rived, no more could have been con- tained by the big hall. Members Of the reception committee and friends were seated on the stage, they includ- ed the visiting priests and friends from Polo, The stage curtain had been low cred and was kept down until the or l chestra program was partially com | ro1o ha cir Of number, The Star Spangled Banner, were heard, the curtain was slowly raised revealing the stage.
 J. J. Shanesley presided and intro duced the first speaker, Father J. J. Flanagan of Rockford, as "a long time friend of Father O'Rourke's who knows him probably as well as any other man." In part, Father Flana- gan said:
 For me, a meeting of this nature is somewhat strange. as I am not accus- toned to appearing before this kind l of a gathering but the spirit of good will that prevails will make it easy for me to add to the embarrassment of Father O'Rourke. He may not think this is what I should do but 1 things that know about him, but on l ly a few of the many events whose ! telling will embarrass him.
 'Tt would be probably most suitable to begin my remarks with sort of ; biographical sketch. As is the case with all great men, there Is usually a dispute regarding their birthplace. You know, in many cases of the fla nous men of history, more than one I city claims such great man as a ma i tive While in the east I met a num- Der of people from Bridgeport and Mt. Carmel, both of which cities are said to be able to claim his birthplace of Father O'ROurke, but Mt. Carmel claims he was born in Bridgeport and Bridgeport claims Mt. Carmel as his native city.
 His father is an astute politician and in this the son, Father O'Rourke, follows, especially at meal time, and I know of one case where he had six invitations for dinner on the same day and he traded four of them for breakfasts.
 Before his advent at the university, he early showed his ability in expo sition as I recall one story which proves it. You know, down east, the families were wont to go to the sea shore to spend the day. Mother would take a big umbrella and place it on the sand between the ocean and the inquisitive public. Behind this big shelter the whole family would pre- pare for a dip into the briny. It was a favorite trick of the honored guest of this evening to tie a string to that part of the umbrella which stuck through the cover and at the oppor- tune time to seize the end of the string and run down the beach dragging the umbrella with him.
 His family concluded at last that something had to be done, so a con- ference was called and it was decided to send him to the far west. Connec- ticut was his home state, so the folks sent him to far away Buffalo, and it was in this city, his college home, that he began to spread his light over a wide territory. It was here that best knew him. He was a lively stu dious young man, that is. discovered
 him studying at least three or four times in the first five or six years of his attendance at Niagara University In Il years he never missed a class his ingenuity in talking the professor out of a recitation being really mar velous.'
 He was also always ready to help . out in case of an emergency any of his friends. You who have attended . boarding school know that sometimes : the food is not as generously propor- toned as it might be at school board
 ing houses We boys on occasions would secure an extra lunch, after hours, and eat it in our rooms. This = was, of course, contrary to rules and : on one particular occasion that I re- = call, we had secured wieners an6 = sauer kraut and were warming it over some candles preparatory to eating = Ut was agreed that should any of the ' professors appear on the scene. one s of us was to secure the lunch and hide it. Of course, Father O'Rourke vol unteered to do this. Just as we were . about to begin our repast, Father
 O'Rourke announced that he heard someone coming and we all scurrie6
 for cover, the good hearted William
 seizing the wieners and kraut to save
 it for us. After awhile we all con.
 cluded that the alarm was a false one
 and we returned to our rendezvous tc
 resume our eating. Wm. O'Rourke
 was missing, however, when he reap
 peared, and search revealed him un.
 der the Covers of his bed and when
 after a little effort we succeeded ir
 pulling away the bed clothes we found
 the can of kraut and wieners, but the
 can was empty.
 Enough of the pranks of this