The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-03-28
CRIME ARD REPENTANCE.

CRIME ARD REPENTANCE.
From the moment when the penitent and
pardoned sinner received from the Cross
for his single act of love and sorrow, the
GLORIOUS promise, g This day shalt thou be
acith Me IN Paradise the Church has always
loved TO dwell upon the wonderful graces
showered from time to time upon great
criminals. And as in the history of crime
it is not rare TO find that the punishment of
death becomes even the gate of heaven, SO
it is good for us to study these examples,
that we may measure the power of religion
in dealing with the ontcasts Of society and
again, to understand that to a Catholic the
lot of the condemned criminal may be far
less pitiable than that of one who escapes
tine penalty of the law.
In the month of October 1867, q young
Frenchman was executed in London, whose
story contains some striking and useful facts
for consideration, asshis life affords good
deal OF witness to the uiistehNfs often made
by men, while his death was an unUsHaf
instance Of zeal and generous reparatiou.7
Lonis Border was born and brought mp as
q child in the neighborhood Of a large city
in France, named Charities; and his pa
rents, honest, sober working people, did
their best to instiI into their son religious
principles and the faar Of God. Lilo very
nany French utsasn 81 her class, Madaine
B0rtllex sss exc dnelx piots and staple,
a.a.s =. else could g tEzssn Asr
child In Ouch = 81 - ~ 4tI y I'D = ft.sdia
man. She and her hnebnssd retn0yc1 WITH
their child from Chartrcs to Versailles, cloee
to Paris, and there Louis first went 10
school. In time he was admitted TO make
his first Communion, and, so long 90 he
remained under his parents' rooEs showed
only the usual faults, giadiness, and
the thoughtless ways Of other boys.
But unfortunately, when he was seven
teen years old, LOUIS went to Paris TO live,
and there settled himselfin his trade, which
was that of o tanner; and be had no sooner
embarked In business for himself, than he
also got = taste for the pleasures and
dangers of the French capital. Pleasure
duties he neglected Mass and the Sacra-
ments; and thus, having become aequaint-
ed with a set of irreligiOus artisans, he had
no strength to stand against their fidicule,
and quickly became entangled in their
vicious ways and habits. The next thing
expedition to -EDglapd, which they.
represented to him as a free land, where
work plentiful aud wages high, aud
where men were unfettered by "priesteraftn
and foolish aprejudicesp about religion.
70 London, accordingiyN Louis Border
the society of the most careless and de-
PRAYED French artisans who crowd parts of
our capital.
| 1t is not surprising to learn that, without
exactly apostatisiDg, Border became a
practical unbelieyer, and that he Joined his
wicked companions in insulting and scott
ing at his faith. 1t is o fact showing his
character, however, that his life, though
utterly without religion, was much more
steady and orderly than that of most of his
companions There was, more or less, q
| fair outside to much inward corruption.
For instance: One of Border companions,
| probably hoping to entangle him in q sinful
| life, introduced him to young girl named
| Mary Snow; and he became SO attached "a
| her, that he made her proposals. TO live
with him as his wife, but assigning various
| pretexts for sdispeusirg with marriage.
/ Notwithstanding the slight iinlE, of an at
| tachment which, when poisoned by sin,
generally ends in disgust Bordier lived
with Mary Snow for thirteen years, treated
| her III all respects as his wife, and always
called her by his name, They had three
beautiful children, of whom their father
was devotedly fond. Border even took
Mary Snow to France, and introduced heI
as his wife to his mother but a mothers
eyes are clear-sighted, and she taxed hel
son with his sin. Being deeply grieved 81
! his way of life, MADAME RnrdieE-urged hei
son by every means to change ii, and Offered
to dofray all the expenses of his marriage
| Bnt pride and false shame was too stroDs
4 for him to overcome without grace, anC
alas, the once pious child had thrown aside
all means of obtaining this powerful help
Louis even persisted in the lie, and thu
cast away his last plank of safety for til,
storms Of passion that We're, later, to burs
upon his head.
Time flowed on with them all for soIni
Il years as happily as If their household 1a
yirtuous and serving God. But at last
slowly and surely the time Of trial came
Border fell aad was obliged to be re
mexed 70 an hospital There i6 was foups
necessary that he should undergo seyera
Painful operations, and. after going through
I, sgonies OF suffering, he discharged hiulBel
wAenquite unfit for work. being haunte'