The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-06-28
From tho Catholic World.
(Continued.)
PART III.

secured for his mother, close to the Fortress
Antonio, where he himself lodged, IA small
house belonging to q widow who, since he
husbands death, had fallen into comparative
poverty. Tho Lady Aglais attended still by
her old freed oman, Melena, was allowed the
best and coolest part of this house entirely tc
herself, with n staircase of their own leading
to the fiat roof There they passed much OF
their evenings after the sun had set, looking
at the thickly- build opposite hills, the mansion
on Zion, or down into the Tyropeon from
which the hum of n great multitude came,
meliowed by the distance, and disposing the
mind to contemplation. Many wonderful
things, from time to time, they heard of him
who was now teaching-things some of which,
nay, the greater part of which, as ono of the
sacred writer's expressly declares, never were
recorded, and the whole of which could not
be contained in the libraries of the world. 1t
may well, then, DO imagined in what q situa-
ton Paulus and his mother were-having no
interest in disbelevins, no chair of Moses to
abdicatc, no doctorial authority pharisac
prestige melting them to impugn the known
trnth-in what situation they were, for
accepting declining what was then offered
After twenty years of separation, a trace of
ESntueE hhu Detu IcCOScIcu ny OHS
evening, his mother was on the fat roof of
her residence awaiting his customary visit,
when her son appeared and alarmed her by his
pallor. He had seen Esther on foot in o group
of,women at tho Gate of Gennath, going forth
into the country, as he was entering the city
on horseback. Aglais smiled sadly, saying 4:
81 Alas! dear son, is that allf long since
knew that she still lived but would not
disturb your mind by the useless intelligence
=" Scarcely altered" murmnred Paulus alb.
stractedly, 4" while l am quite old. Yes, she
must now be past thirty; yes, near thirty e.,
AS to that" said the mother, "you are
thirty-cight, and scarcely seem twenty nine
Old Rebecca, tho mistress of this house, who
lives still in tho groundstory, as you are
aware, has told me much about Esther"
"Sho is married, l SUPPOSE" said Paulus
with look of anxiety.
mo-" replied Aglais "She has had innu
merable offers (spite of her comparative
poverty, and has declined them ALL"
"But what boots it I" exclaimed Paulus.
"Old Josiah Maccabeus is dead" said Aglais.
And here mother and son dropped the subject
by mutual consent. Ii
The dreadful days, closed by the most awfu
day the world has known-closed by the ever
memorable and tremendous Friday-came and
went. On the Saturday, Paulus met Longinus,
who said he had been Mount Calvary tn at
afternoon, and that he, Longnus, was now
and ever henceforth disciple of him Who had
been crucihed. The Sunday came, and brought
with it a prodigious rumor, which, instead of
dying ont, found additional believers every
day. The disc pies, most of whom had shown
themselves as timid they were known to be
ignorant, now seemed transformed into new
characters, who loudly affirmed that their
Master had risen from the dead by his own
power; and they were ready to face every
torment and all terrors calmly in the mainte-
nance of this fact, which they predicted would
be received and acknowledged by the whole
world. And, indeed, it was no longer rumor
Int truth, attestoi by tho only witnesses
who could by possibility know anything about
it, either for against and whose earthly
interests it would have been to deny it, even
while they knew it to be true witnesses who,
if they knew it to be fase-and they certainly
knew whether it were true or false (this much
was granted, ard is still granted, by NIL their
opponents) -conld have had no motive, either
earthly or unearthly, for feigning that they
believed it.
man might ponder it and study it for n Whole
month, and yet lind fresh strength and an
sver-increasing weight in the considerations
which it suggests; not even find a flaw if he
made the one month twelve. Paulus's. mind
was determined, and so was his mothers. The
son sought that same beautiful youth whom he
had seen twice before; told him the new
desire, the new belief which had made his
mothers aud his own heart glad and by him
they were baptized as Christians, discip pies OF
him that had been cruciGed-by that fair
youth, / say, who was to be known for ever
among men as =" Saint John the Evangelist"
"After all, mother" said Paulus, when they
were returning together to their dwelling, ait
is not so very mysterious; mean that difficulty
about the lowliness of our divine Teachers
chosen place among men. Because, see you,
if the builder of those glorious stars and that
sublime armament vas to como at all amongst
MS, he would be certain TO take the lowest and
smallest lot, lest we should deem there was
any difference before him. We are all low
small torather-the aarfh itae1f I tol5