AN GAOḊAL.
253
Phila., Pa, July 30, 1883.
M. J. Logan Esq:
Dear Sir: Enclosed find $1.20
P. O. order, two years' subscription for your pa¬
per, An Gaodhal, beginning with the first number
issued. I some time ago heard of, and endeavor¬
ed, but failed to get your paper, as I thought it
was published in N. York, and I did not know the
name of its editor or, with certainty, its title. Yes¬
terday, however, by accident I happened to lay
hands on the copy now before me, No. 7, vol. 1,
and I cannot tell you how glad I was to see for the
first time a paper exclusively devoted to the culti¬
vation of my mother tongue. My pleasure was,
however, mixed with mortification and shame, that
while you have been working so long and so pa¬
triotically in so good cause I have till this late
hour delayed the support you have a right to ex¬
pect from every Irishman.
To make all amends in my power, I hasten to
forward my subscription, and I trust it is in your
power to send me a copy of every issue to date.
You may put me down as a perpetual subscriber.
I regret my inability to address you this note in
my mother tongue. I can speak it. I can also
read it sufficiently well to understand the substance
of the matter treated of, but there are many words
I do not understand. My pronunciation is defec¬
tive, as I learned the language in my native Don¬
egal, and though I can form the letters and write,
per copy, pretty well, still I cannot write in Gao¬
halic as I cannot spell at all.
By studying the lessons in the Gaodhal I hope
to become in time more proficient. Hoping to be
excused for troubling you with so much matter
personal to myself, I am
Yours truly and gratefully,
Anthony P. Ward.
[Patriotism, it seems, is a quality inherent in
families. That the Wards possess that quality in
a preeminent degree is demonstrated by the num¬
ber of Donegal Wards who are warm supporters
of the Gael. The Gael goes to Killybegs to that
family. Ed. Gael.]
Hartford, Conn., Aug. 26, 1883.
Mr. M. J. Logan,
Dear Sir:
I have been in receipt of your valuable paper,
the Gael, for the last few months, and am highly
pleased with it, and also with the patriotic move¬
ment in which it is interested.
I should have sent you my subscription before
but I was in hopes that I would be able to induce
a number of our Irishmen here, to take the Gael,
but I must confess my abilities as a canvasser are
not of the best quality. Still I have a few names,
and they are some of the most representative Irish¬
men in Hartford. I am in hopes that some of them
may become interested in the movement, as they
would be able to put some life into it, which
cannot expect to do.
It is surprising what little interest is taken in
the Irish language movement in Hartford. The
Irish people seem to be dead to all feeling, when
you speak to them on that subject. There are a
great many people here that can speak it very flu¬
ently; but still, you speak to them about getting
up a movement for the preservation thereof, and
they will ridicule the idea of the Irish ever being
spoken. In fact they are ashamed to speak it
themselves. The only enthusiasm I have seen is
among those that cannot speak a word of it; but
they are in the best position to feel the loss of it.
I am in hopes things will improve before long.
Enclosed please find $3.60 and also the names of
the six subscribers. I see by the last copy of the
Gael that you have raised the subscription to one
dollar, but I had solicited those subscriptions be¬
fore I knew it was to be raised so you can send the
paper for the number of months that this money
will pay for.
Now I will conclude by wishing the Gael the
greatest possible success. I feel quite interested
in the little paper and I hope I may live to see i
outgrow its present proportions and circulation.
I have never been able to speak a word of Irish
but I shall continue to try and learn it even if I do
not succeed I shall not become disheartened, as I
consider it the duty of every patriotic Irishman to
take an interest in the language of his country, and
there is not a better way than by subscribing for
the Gael and pushing along the circulation of the
same.
Yours respectfully
Patrick J. Duggan.
Any friend of the Gaelic cause who has urged
his friends to become subscribers to the Gael
need pass no apology regarding the amount of
the subscription. If he represented the subscrip¬
tion as being six cents let him accept it. It
is only to perfectly new subscribers who have not
been heretofore spoken to on the matter that the
change has been made, or even to them, let the
friends of the Irish Language movement use their
own discretion in their regard and we shall en¬
dorse their actions. "Circumstances alter cases,"
and the friends of the Gael have full power to
accommodate themselves to such circumstances.
The Gaelic Publication Company would appeal
to their Patriotic countrymen to buy shares of
their Capital Stock. The object of the company
is to publish cheap literature in the Irish Lan¬
guage. The shares are Five Dollars each.
Address the Secretary, M. J. Logan, at 814 Pacific
St.
BROOKLYN, N. Y.
