The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-10-24

As we left the cars together, 1 observed that
she still scanned the surrounding localities
with an enrnestness that did not seem war
ranted by any claims they possessed to notice;
for a more tame and embarrassing region can
scarcely be imagined than that in which we
reluctantly fingered.
What wonderful changes forty years will
mako in the face of a new conntry" she at
length exclaimed. " passed this way, going
and returning in 1927, at an-age when the
deepest impressions are received, and upon an
errand so peculiar in its nature as to make
those impressions indellible. l have always
carried the picture of the route, slowly ira
versed at that time, i'll my memory but the
transformation is complete that look in
vain for one familiar feature"
After walking for some time in silence, she
resumed: 1t is strange how wildly the most
minute details of that journey and the Incl
dents connected with it return to me, now that
singu1arfy detained i'll the vicinity of
the scenes l then sought; though there is moth
ing in the aspect of the country to bring them
backw =
By this time we had loitsred into a shady
nook, at great distance from the disabled
car; and it's GOODNESS inviting us to remain,
after we had seated ourselves upon n rock
overgrown with moss, begged that she would
while away the time of our detention by Civ
ing a history of those incidents.
"The narrative may not prove very interest
| ing to you," she replied. THE recollection OF
events that took place around us in youth has
more power to move ourselves than others.
/
| In 1926, was visiting o dear friend who
lived on st. Paul street, in Montreal. 1t was a
pleasant evening in June, the close of one OF
| those very warm days SO common in the early
| part of q Canadian summer, where the interval
e th ea % yefsar and 6 6f ntsF and
mer is often so marvellously short as to asuou-
J Sh stranger.
| ~ was sitting in my room, Mt open Win
dow that looked out narrow back court
the opposite of which was bounded by row
of low-roofed tenant houses parallel with the
bank of the river, and over these, upon mag
+sniticent view of the st. Lawrence, rolling
grandly down past the city, at which was
| never tired of gazing. had been contemPlat-
ing the mighty flood for some time, my
thoughts wandering sorrowtully tar up It's wa
tiers and the stream of time to tranquil scenes
now closed to me forever, when the words,
| 'Ah, Donald! that l should live to see this
day Do not ask ME to sing the hymn we love
this night, when my heart is sac sair that it is
like to break! canna, Gamma sing the sangs
O Zion i this strange place, and in our sharp,
sharp griefsr came floating to my ear on the
evening breeze, from an open balcony along
the rear of the tenements mentioned.
"There was depth of anguish in the tones
that touched the tenderest chord of sympathy
in my heart, which was then EFfith@t'sss under
the pangs of recent sore bereavement.
TT MY chiIdh00d had been passed near settle
ments of the Lowland Scotch in st. Lawrence
| county. New York, and was therefore famlllal
with their dialect, the use of which added tc
: my interest in the speaker, and 1 listened
eagerly for further sounds. For some time
tones of n manly voice that seemed to be soUth
/ ing an outburst of grief which was ovcrwhelm
! ing his companion. At length heard hin
> say, with an accent That DeT0kgUet t0rgu'
accustomed to the of the Gaelic dialect:
"' 1t would drown the sorrows of my gentl
Y Maggie, if she would only strive to sing. lie
e us not forget the dolors of our Blessed Mothe
l in the agonies of our ain grief I viii sing
: and mayhap she will join me,
J., Presently singuarly wild and I,laintiv
L air was borne to my ear upon the flowing ca
a. s,f - Tpn tfG Nnip ne Off nd
Y any to which had ever listened. The word
S were in Gaelic, but the refrain at the close q
Z" each verse, ora, Mater, Ord'-revealed their re
It ligion, and that it hymn of the BLESSED
+ Virgin to which was listening. Before til
l. close of the first verse he was Joined by avoc'
IS low and clear the tones of a flute, bearin
II upon every strain the fervent outpourings
70 tender Nety, though tfem 1lous with emotion
< Soon after it ceased, they retired with
/ the open door of their room, and heard theI
e Teeiting alternately, in low voice, tha
r, treasured devotion OF the Catholic heart
4, whchI was then entirely ignorant, but whic
20 has since (thauk GodD become inestimabl
ID precious to me-thc beads of the Holy Rosar,
Their evening prayers being over, the
to walked for some time on the balcony in silenc
N when she said in n trembling voice:
l. "It is a month tomorrow, Donald, mont
O. tomorrow sim God took AVA our darlings
~ and och! VIA wad haze thought 1 could bio
re sac lang i this canld warld without sight
IN their bonnie faces! / dinna ken why liv
re when my sweet bairnies are buried far ava
their watery graves.
~ "'Ah, Maggie! why wad yc not live f
TT your poor Donald He mourns for the bonn
@, bairnies too /; but he does not wish to leave l.
is Maggie because God has taen them from he
y Cast ava these repining thoughts, my ov
ne love, and let us go to the church tagither I
II morrow morning, and lay all our griefs befo
en- the altar of our God,
We a. heard no more but resolving TO accol
st pany them to Church, arose very early 9
of next morning, and preparing myself, watch
es an opportunity-to join them, as they pass
-o- from the street where they We're stopping in
m st. Paul street.
ed "We walked on in silence after I join
them, and saw that he was tall, athle