In my enthusiasm I forgot, in the opening part of my speech, to thank the men who have elected me for the third time to the presidency of this great Society.
I want the women here tonight to take this matter up with these derelicts—I won’t say whether it is father, husband or son. You see mothers are always before me, and I can’t get away from the mental picture as well as the physical one. But the women can do much good. Look what they have done tonight! If you could stand here and see this beautiful picture, effulgent with everything lovely, it seems that the flowers and shrubs of Paradise have been sent down here in order to give color and radiance to this picture! And then the inspiration—Mr. Crimmins says a feast in itself.
Now I want the good women to talk about the American-Irish Historical Society, to boom it, so to speak, and I feel confident that much good will be accomplished through their efforts.
I am going to ask the Secretary-General to read one or two communications from absent members, and we will go through this programme like Paderewski does with his touch on the piano.
Secretary-General Lee: Mr. President—
(Applause.)
Ladies and Gentlemen of the American-Irish Historical Society, I thank you sincerely. At the direction of the President-General, I have three communications to read. The first is from our fellow member, Mr. Victor Herbert. It is a telegram to the President-General:
“New York, January 8, 1910.
“Dr. Francis J. Quinlan,
“President-General American-Irish Historical Society,