The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-12-18
NEW ORLEANS SUNDAY MORNING DECEMBER r. 1870
a kind Providence when could no longer

q kind Providence when could no longer
stinence from all convelsatisn were strictly
enforced by the physician. After several days
OF silence, was lying in the half-drowsy state
induced by my exhausted condition, the man
whom first saw and heard when revived,
and the woman I have mentioned, sitting by
me, when suddenly cried out with an emo
ton the more startling from being 80 long sup.
will they feel whensthey hear sill this :"
Where do your friends live p he inquired.
I'm s., Vermont" Ireplied.
In s., Vermont That should hear the
then fervently added
"Thank God that have at length had !
chance to paw something toward debt havs
living in it,"
1 asked TO whom he. alluded, when he told
me the whole story of the afflicted family We
took care Of in the cholera season; and, so my
astonishnient, he was himself that very victim
of the cholera, and his family the identical
one! 1t was his turn to be astonished whom !
told him was the little boy who found them
His sons were out surveying some wild landS
belonging to him when they found me appa-
rently hfeless in the woods.
The place is in South western Iowa, where
they first settled.s His older brother lives near
him. His mother died some years since. He
says she never ceased to pray for while she
lived Their children are marEied and settled
around Them and they are wealthy, influential
people, and highly respected by every body, ~
have learned FROM the physician.
Yon should h9ve witnessed the welcomeal
have received from the whole family sin0e
they have heard who am There " az notlaS
ing too much for them to do for me before, q
the stranger whom God had thrown upon thefr
care; but now their manifestations Of affectlV3l
upon my iiissstIng Is little capital. 81
ton of their lands at Ehe original GoyernfaeSa
prfce--a mere fraction of what thsy are r1ssi
worth, so much has the value been enhanced
since they purchased They are also deter.
mined that shall settle in the village near
by, which is the shire-tow n of the county, and
offers o good opening for a young lawyer. So,
as soon as my strength is sufficiently recruited,
intend to engage an office there, oettle up my
little affairs at St. PauFs, and take new start.
l have not told you about the baby-girl of
other years who was of the same age with
our darling whom the angels claimed. Well,
she is q brilliant, beautiful young lady, and a
thrifty assistant to her mother in housekeep-
ing, and highly accomplished withal, for she
in st. Louis She is playing piece of music
on the piano, with exquisite skill and express
sion, while am writing; and am tempted to
lay down my pen, and take my place beside
her. And-shall tell you but no! you have
half-guessed already-that your susceptible
brother is at this moment the devoted lover of
this rose of Iowa, and hopes soon to claim the
dainty little hand which is flying 80 deity
over the keys for his own, with the full con-
sent of all concerned, you may be sure!
My new friends have extensive business con-
ncctions and will he able to throw a large
amount of practice into my hands-whlch Is
all energetic young lawyer wants-and the
property Their kindness has already put in my
possession is 4 little fortune to start with. so
be sure, dear sister, to thank God for all the
mercics he has bestowed upon your unworthy
brother.
''How strange are the ways of Providence
and how fully did we realize, in this singular
hat ~, ,f hat win
the wisest of men,, Cast thy bread upon the
waters, and thou shalt find it after many
daysv"
'.Well, certainly, that was q curious and
most providential series of condolences all the
way through! exclaimed sprghtly young
lady who had been very attentive listener
to the narrative. "But did that good old
grandmother really have any influence In con.
verting you and your family to Catholicism
have always wondered how 1T was brought
about, at a time when so little was known,
and such bitter prejudices prevailed about the
Catholic reli gion, in these parts. Now these
changes are SO frequent that they hardly excite
SURPRISE but it was different then"
mo doubt her prayers and the 1nden6le Inn,
confiding piety upon my mind and heart, must
have had their effect. Our heavenly Father
uses instruments for performing his mercitul
designs upon those whose spiritual discern
ment he enlightens to see what is hidden from
others. 1t is often impossible, humanity speak
ing, for the subjects of his grace to explain the
process by which the work was accomplished,
the gift of faith received, and their feet placed
upon the rock of certainty and truth. Enough
for them to know that the great and glorious
will continue fixed and firm as eternity when
the sun and moon of this earthly planet shall
disappear, and the heavens depart, as scroll
that is rolled togetherP"