Evening star., 1924-03-16
THE NEW IRELAND
By ELSIE CASSATT LAUGHLIN

splendid roads are general and
good train service found Throughout
the country. Light railroad cars are
in use, but the trains speed at sixty
miles an hour. The best food that
could possibly be secured. even bet
ter than in France, was obtained III
all of the good hotels. the bread
in particular being worth mention
ing. Huge ldaves We're placed on the
tG bles, sufficient TO serve ten persons.
| and tasted like nuts when eaten.
| Drinks, too. Were served to those
who wished. for Ireland still has its
wines and liquors. Temperance IS
the keynote rather than prohibition.
THE country is in a most prosper
Gus financial condition. More than
two hundred fifty million dollars. or
nearly fifty million pounds. are OH de-
posit in the Bank of Ireland III
| Dublin. This does not include de-
posits III branch banks. So ireland is
| in reality making rapid progress.
Yes, it is the soft, warm climate
| due to the gulf stream that we like
| to say adds to the attractiveness OF
| Irish women. There is a large pro-
| portion ef beautiful faces among
| them: even those who are not beauti-
| full aro almost always attractive by
! reason of bright eyes. clear COM
plexions andAbewitching smiles. Th"
| Irish temperament has many likeahlG
| qualities. The women are faithful
and kindly and forgivirg and their
I children adore them.
"The Irish purpose in living is not
| Accomplishment but happiness. They
would like to obey literally the COM
| mand: Take no thought for the NOR
row. The Irishman does not save
| money, like the Scot, because he
| likes to save: but rather because he
wants to give his daughters a dowry
| or send a son to college.
'DThe whole aim Of Ireland" said
Mrs. Ashurst in conclusion, "is to
be. nation once again. 1t longs
| to justify it's history. 1t is one OF
the oldest nations of the world, har-
I ing had civilization 5000 years e.
c., although but little is known OF
the inhabitants before the fourth
century A. ID. There are many ira
ditions of famous men in these an
cient times which all Irish men and
women wish to remember and relate.
OF the most important was Mall, who
was high king for years.
| But every ore must know the
story of Saint Iatrick. No? Mall
made many raids into Britain and
among the captives taken on one oi
! these was q youth about sixteen years
old d native of Dumbarton. who be-
came the slave of ch1eftain namec
| Melchus. For seven or eight years
he herded his masters f1ocks on the
mountains of Antrim. He was not
content, however, with his lot in life
and escaped and went back to Britain.
| where he was ordained a priest. From
Britain he went to Gaul, some say
! to Italy, but he longed for the island
| he had learned to love and determined
to return and teach its pagan inhab-f
itants, to believe in the Christian
| faith.
He landed on the shores Of Strang-
ford Lough in the year 432. Thus the
great Saint Patrick came a second
time to Ireland, this time not as a
slave, but to bring it the blessing gs
of Christianity
| Many stories are told of the SIM
iplicity and clearness of the teachings
of the Saint. On one occasion when
it seemed impossible for his hearers
Ito grasp the meaning of the Holy
Trinity ne stopped and plucked a
4 leaf of Shamrock and pointing to the
three perfect leaves growing on one
stem explained that it represented
the ree-in-One-Father, Son and
4 Holy Spirit. From that time the
shamrock has been the symbol and
emblem of Ireland and the 17tn Of
March, the day on which Saint
Patrick died. day of national OBJ
seryance.
Mrs. Ashurst expects to see Ire
land progress toward her goal with
rapid strides and when she is recog-
nized as the first minister from the
United States to the Irish Free State
she will have achieved not only q
personal ambition. but will have the
added joy of seeing her native land
; again taking its place among the
nations.~ =.