The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-04-12

Round days that are no more
The soul, assailed by snares and strifes,
Would waver and give way
To wrong. but for that cid home thought;
IA What would my mother say -
What bitter grief for her whose love
Endures beyond the grave
To know her holy influence
Too weak to shield save
"a Oh when the sorely-tempted heart
Grows faint meath evil sway,
May some good angel make the thought:
What would my mother say'
De Ia Sale Monthly.
4 MAGGIE RYAN.
Ryan was in the coal trade-a
npnIar business for a little girl not over
&elye years old, and small and slender at
9at; vet she carried on quite business
ISL the aid of her brother, who was still
hunger, and SO lame that he was always
1lieed to use a crutch.
&T6ey lived with their mother-at least
lew called her mother and they know no
&her care than hers. Once Maggie had
Ren told that the old woman who took
q her earnings, and gave her little else
|ht blows and curses in return, was not
$ally her mother and she remembered,
! though it had been q dream, happy
bme, where she had been loved and petted,
hid called fond names.
lie had eaten the morsel of bread given
IN. she would take in her hand q little
&oss that she wore on string around her
&ck, and try to bring to her mind her
&rly days. She was sure the cross had
bver been given her by the one she now
&lled mother, because she had often want
4 to take it from her, and it had cost her
hny struggle to keep it until now.
SIaggie's thoughts generally ended in
Dep, and sometimes in pleasant dreams
Ia then the mother she had been told of
4me and smiled upon her. But Maggie's
feams were not always pleasant and
hen they were, they were generally end
4 by q kick or blow, and an order TO go
Ii into the street and get coal,-for usual
Il the money earned during the day by
ildren was spent at night by the old wo-
sAn for drink.
ssIt will be bad for We, if you don't bring
ore coal to-day than you did yesterday"
lid the coarse voice, as the door slammed
&ter the two children and as they ran,
&refooted and shivering, down the street,
hey thought of the blows they had receiv-
d on other days when they had been I'M
&ccessfuI, and hoped for lucky day.
Now must tell you how they, carried
a their business. They lived in the lower
Srt of the city, where boats were con-
}antly unloading coal, and carts Were
&ssing from the boats to the coal-yards.
hen a cart came in sight, Maggie would
5mp mp behind and throw out the coal,
%hiie her little brother followed after and
&thered it up. Behind cellar door they
4ept their stock of coal-and they worked
a day, and their mother would come and
Ike the coal, and sell it.
Did Maggie know it was stealing She
'ad been doing it almost as long as she
Dnld remember anything. She was sure
was wrong to be caught by the police
han but am sorry that that was the only
hing she dreaded. She had lived, as
hundreds are living in this great city,
moving pothing about God or his COM
andments.
It was q cold day, and there were not as
any carts passing as usual. Maggie was
home with the little coal she had so
Ss wearily worked on but her little
Fength gave out at last and in trying
3 climb up on cart, she reeled, and fell
3 the pavement. In vain her brother
Aouted to the driver of the wagon that
Jas following poor little Maggie was I'M
er the wheels in moment.
=. It was only poor child that was run
Yer, and the crowd that gathered for
oment soon passed on. Maggie was
ken to the hospital, followed by her
sother, who cried bitterly. His sister had
ben the only one who cared for him-the
bly, one who spoke kindly to him-end he
ved her very much.
Maggie was injured so much that she
)uld never gather coal again. She was
und at the hospital, with her little cross
her hand, by the good Sisters, who took
kr to their home. Here she learned the
eaning of the cross, of God, and His love.
fippled though abe was, her new home
emed like heaven to her /; and her bright,
leerfal face, old while yet young, was
|Sticed by all visitors.
But Maggie did not remain here long,
+ her father, who had left her with her
bod mother, returned from long voyage,
BID at last traced her and claimed her for
8 own. The little cross had been his
1T to her when she was baptized and he
Id her the story Of her early days, and of
r own dear mother. Her little brother,
To-, was found and once more they were
eppy in the home she had so often dream
Of
Maggie was always kind to the poor and
iendless, and many were the prayers she
Eered up to God for them. Indeed, it
Rs the one thought of her life to help
ese little ones, so dear to God and so
len abandoned by man.-Young Cath
Ie.
A COOP BUILDING.-He builds great
ling who builds a pyramid but he builds
o,rD 49,, ~ oh