The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-10-19

Q0fQer than
ever to say his beads, come they would, and
did: And ttepswhen the sermon had begun,
and poor Tom had thoHght that now ct least
ne shouid be ssls ss1ens there was worse
only few ssats %, there Is q man who, from,
some cause a. other that Torn could lot dis.
cover, wonderfully sttracted his attsptiou. He
was stout, middle:sged, sun drowned ana wea-
his face, though sorrowfni, weary expression
would every now and them steal over it too.
ard then be would Sigh In way that went TO
Toms heart; But II was not this alone that
interested him. Although Tom could not re-
call when or where he had seen him before,
there was something so familiar about the
mans whole appearance, that BIO was thorough
" puzzled. Once, as he bent forward TO listen
to the sermon, Tom had never in his life seen
two persons so much alike as this man and his
own father, and ave minutes after, when he
turned his head round towards Tom, his eyes
were as Ike his very own mothers as eyes
and Tom left Sam In his seat, and followed,
but even then he could not help being con-
scious that CHS mysterious stranger was walk
wishing that he could remember, just once for
al, where he had seen him, that he might not
think about him any more.
At last, however, Tom lost sight of him al
together, and this distraction at least ceased
to bother him. Indeed, so intent did he be-
come over his prayers after this, that it was
not until Sam nudged him that he discovered
that the last echoes of the organ were dying
away, and that nearly all the congregation
had departed Tom rose and left the seat fol-
lowed by Sam but when he reached the bot
tom Of the church, he paused and turned The
other followed his example, and side by side
fast darkening church. Richly and redly the
rays Of the setting sun fell upon the marble
Altar, while the perfume of summer flowers
stole softly from the chapel Of the Sacred
Heart, ningIng it's fragrance with that of the
incense that lowered etill in the aisles and
among the arches overhead. Accustomed a.
he was to the church, there was something 80
Tom fell once more instinetivsly upon. his
knees, and bowed his head almost to the
ground. When he arose, to his no small aston
ishment, he found Sam kneeling beside him,
and wonder at the tabernacle. 80
They left the church, but had not gone far,
before voice from the Presbytery hailed them.
Tom turned, and. recognized Father Neville
standing at the open window. He Immediate
~ haatened to him. 49, 800
-. q A Are you y Il, in sI hurry. my man~
Smiths private houses You know it, I think
To be sure do, father" '.'
Then II you'll be 30 good" said the priest,
handing him the letter, 81 shall be much
"one Of the queerest chaps ever olapped
eyes on, father. He's the foreman down ct our
shop. ] never knew till to-day that he was
ever married. But it seems that he was, and
that bis wife was Catholic. don't think it
would take much to make one Of him. think
you could do him . great deal of good, if you
would just have o little talk with him. He's
got long head, and no mistake about 1t, but
MS troubles have made him SO mopish like,
that his brains isn't the good they might be-
r.. TO be snre III see him, said the priest.
No time like the present. just ask Finn to
como in here and wait while you 20 to Su,ith's,
and then will talk to him, and see what he's
made Of"
Sam walked quietly in at the door that Fa-
Their Neville opened for him himself and Tom
departed on his errand. He was not long gone,
and on his return, as he passed the window, he
glanced in. Father Neville and Sam were
there, but talking 80 earnestly that Tom Judged
1t best not to disturb them. BE therefore
walked into the church that still stood open,
and began to say his night prayers. As for
the priest and Sam, they talked on till the
the daylight had quite faded out, and then
down the blinds, and it was only when the
church clock struck eleven, that Sam was dis
missed.
As he walked home along the deserted
streets, strange new thoughts passed through
ms mind, and bright new hopes aroae in his
heart. But above all these thoughts and
hopes, high above them, there shone a LIGHT.
ehadowy still in this its first dawn, but s6ed.
ding 90 soft and mild radiance on the bitter.
ness of the past, and the darkness of the
future, that Sam now understood what Toms
prophecy had meant, and felt that truly his
whole life was changed.
Coneluded next week.
On Captannhar Da,a L.