70
AN GAODHAL.
its printed books are innumerable. Scholars stu¬
dy it in all the great universities of Europe. The
A. O. H., an army of poor men, have at a cost of
$50,000 established a Chair in the university at
Washington, to be filled by a patriotic priest from
Waterford. Every clerical student in Maynooth
must study Irish for three years, to fit himself to
hear confessions of those whose vernacular is the
national tongue.
Scholars, Germans, French, English, Danes,
enamored of our language, peculiar in itself, val¬
uable to the ethnologist and the philologist, pow¬
erful and delicate as a medium of conveying
thought, sweet and musical when properly spo¬
ken. They come to spend their time working in
the Dublin libraries, or in Oxford or the British
museums studying musty scrolls, and envying the
Irish their better opportunities of seeing the MS
which they know to be most precious, but which
Irishmen, in their ignorance, look upon as waste
paper. Naturally they are surprised that the lear¬
ned of that Island of Saints, of which they have
heard so much, should be blind to the treasures
which lie at their own doors, and they ask,
"Where is that much vaunted patriotism, when
they ignore the greatest proof of their nation¬
hood?"
Here Mr. Hagerty quotes Spalding, Trench,
etc., from THE GAEL, and proceeds] —
"Tho' fallen the state of Erin and changed the
Scottish land —
Tho' weak the power of Mona and unwaked Lle¬
wellyn's band —
Tho' Iona's ruined cloisters are swept by north¬
ern gales —
Tho' Ambrose Merlin's prophesies are deemed
but idle tales —
One in name and in fame are the sea-divided
Gaels."
CIVILISATION.
The English having gradually appropriated Ire¬
land as they now propose to take in Venezuela,
even sought to appropriate the intellectual gifts of
Celts and obliterate the records of their ancient
fame.
Geographies and histories tell our children at
school that Celtic nations never evolved a civili¬
zation of their own. And children believe it. A
slight acquaintance with the Celtic tongue will
enable us to prove this an absurd and false ass¬
umption and a wholesale calumny, and will open
a wonderful vista of knowledge extending far
back beyond the scope of outside history.
[Here Mr. Hagerty enters into ancient history,
and we regret that our space is too limited to
make room for it.]
Did not the Gael months ago tell what the Ap¬
aism meant? — simply British scouts!
WEBER — FARRELL.
For some time past it had been the painful pro¬
vince of the Gael to publish the obituary of sev¬
eral old Gaelic friends. But now it takes great
pleasure in announcing the marriage of one of its
old friends, Mr. M. A. Weber, of Lakin, Kansas,
but formerly of Rew City, Pa., which event took
place the other day amidst great ovations.
Mr. Weber was in the grocer business in Rew
City, whence he moved to Lakin and entered into
partnership with Mr. John McLoughlin, the firm
assuming the name of McLoughlin & Weber, in
the general mercantile business, and now the lea¬
ding firm in that city.
Mr. Weber led to the altar Miss Jennie Farrell
the sister-in-law of his partner; and that the
occasion was a memorable one in Lakin is testifi-
to by the columns of space devoted to it by the
local press. The Gael desires to join in the gen¬
eral jubilation, and wish Mr. and Mrs. Weber a
long, happy and prosperous union.
Father Cuniffe's Saint Patrick Night lecture is
concluded in this issue. Students would do well
to preserve it.
In this issue, also, is commenced the very inter¬
esting Irish story,
Goillís na g-Cos Dubh,
taken, with a few minor changes, from Dr. Hyde's
Leabhar Sgeuluigheacta.
These dull times are trying on a journal like
the Gael which depends on the patriotism of Irish
men of moderate means for its support. Hence
it appeals to those who will not miss its subscript¬
ion price to send it once a year promptly. Re¬
member that we have to pay for paper, presswork
and postage before the paper is on its way to you.
And it may be a matter of some laudable pride to
its old, substantial supporters that no living man,
woman or child can say that the little Gael owes
him or them a red cent. Hence, taking into con¬
sideration the morbid condition of Irishmen,
arising from political disappointments at home,
and the dullness of times here, the Gael, natural¬
ly, claims some credit for its solvent condition,
and a continued liberal support from those who
endorse its principles.
We have received several communications con¬
gratulating Brother McEniry and the Gael on the
excellence, of his Gaelic report of the “Welcome
Home" tendered to the Rt. Rev. bishop John J.
Hogan, of Kansas City, Mo., which appeared in
our last issue.
If the Canadians fight the coming struggle as
bravely as they did against the Fenians at Ridge¬
way ("Booker's Run"), the contest will be a pro¬
longed one?
