The Mankato free press., 1921-03-25
STORIES FROM vernon
BIRTHDAY PARTY GIVEN
FOR FATHER COLBERT
Splendid Tribute Was Paid the
Priest, Who Is Loved BY
People

dies Of st. Mathews Altar society
took advantage of the respite from
Lenten severity which st. Patrick's
day affords and entertained Thursday
evening in Masonic hall at their first
social of the year, the object being to
honor both the patron saint Of Ireland
and their pastor, Father William Col
bert, whose birthday it was.
A large number of the townspeople
aside from the parish members, as
we'll as many from Good Thunder,
Garden City and other adjoining
towns, crowded the hall to capacity
and the many others who were pre-
veRted by bad roads from coming
could hardly have been accommodate
ed.
Eighteen. tables of progressive 500
and euchye were enjoyed and scores
who did not play spent a pleasant
evening visiting.
The decorations were of American
and Irish flags, shamrocks and green
bunting, the tally cards showed pretty
Irish scenes and several young ladies
OF the parish, the Misses Helen But
ler, Mary Caven, Rosette Holiday and
Emma, Celia and Teresa Weir, dress
ed in Irish costumes, presided at the
card tables and served the luncheon
in which the colors of the cakes and
ices were green, orange and white.
A beautiful birthday cake resplen
dent with green and orange candies
was presented to, Father Colbert by
two little boys, Duane Butler and
Harry Weir for the children of the
Sunday school, and a substantial
purse from the congregation was pre-
sented by Little Dora Kraus, dressed
as an Irish colleen, who recited the
following beautiful tribute written by
Larry Ho some years ago.
LAURENCE C. HODGSON.
Your heart is larger than all creeds,
Your love Is like sunlit sky
That bends above our human needs
To tell us only hate shall die;
Your holy dreams all turn to deeds,
Your prayers to laughter in the. eye.
Your steadfast faith, serene and clear,
Your manhood, cloudless and elate,
Above the storms of mortal fate;
You make us feel that God is near,
You make us know that life is great.
The rapture of your morning face
Makes glory on life's common way,
Your human greeting spreads a grace
OF gladness on the common day;
Your vision makes the commonplace
An altar where the soul may pray.
/ do not know which thing is best
Your human laughter or your pray
er;
Nay-both are but your faith confess
In benediction on the air;
With both you build realm of rest
Where men may find retreat from
care. ~,
An autumn's twilight is unfurled
Upon my softly fading years,
l hnd shining rapture curled
Like Loves vast rainbow in my
tears,
Because your love is in the world
To call me from Times little fears.
And so my little song 1 send,
IA anu nor reacn TO you my comrade hand.
AH0Wans stand;w your hear' will under
GIVE me your love till Time shall end
In Gods dear, friendly heart ease
A song dedicated to the guest of
honor was then sung by Mrs. Thomas
Caven In the chorus of which the au-
dience all joined.
Father Colbert responded feelinglv
in words of grateful appreciation to
these tokens of love and esteem
adding a sketch of st. Patrick's life
and work in Green Isle and closing
win an eloquent appeal to the Amer
can sense of justice and fair plav in
the present tragic situation in ireland
At the close of his address Father
Colbert received the congratulations
and birthday greetings of his friends
The ladies' realized the neat sum of
$50 from the evenings entertainment
which will be devoted to church pur-