The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-06-07


was seen to follow, % though intent upon en-
tering the sacred d yelling; but drawing back
irresolutely as the boys passed in, he fed up
the path towards the lonely grotto shrine.
Perhaps many an earnest prayer was offered
mp for him that day-perhaps be was even
remembered in the memento for the living
when tho minister of Gods mercy stood before
His altar of sacrifice and love. But the story
runs, that in the afternoon of that bright day,
just as the sun was setting, he was seen stag
gering towards the doorway of the church !;
at last, he crossed its threshold, and hurried
with strange, wild look, along the nave, to-
wards the silent altar, The sanctuary lamp
burned steadily though dim, and the cruciflx,
EMBODIED in the growing gloom of its close
walls, showed the dead Christ, white and
real-like hanging on its arms. A look
of almost defiant pleasure stole across
the stran gers face; while a scornful smile
quivered around his lips as he gazed at the
helpless figure whose wounds to him, were
dropping with unavailing blood. Suddenly,
above the bowed head of the crucified, q fierce
glow spread it's crimson stain upon the white
ceiling of the wall. He raised his hands ap-
pealingly; but the liquid lustre smote the
the crimson stream poured full upon his breast.
He started to his feet; but his whole frame
seemed flooded in a tide of blood. With q
fearful shrek be sprang from the denouncing
vision, rushed frantically along the silent nave
and fell, at last, before priest of God whose
plying heart had led him towards the con-
science-stricken sinner in the church Here,
at the feet of one who has the power to bind
and loose, the stranger told his fearful tale of
suffering and sin, and offered up his life in
atonement for the one that he had taken.
The tradition of the college then relates how
he passed out of the church just as the setting
sun disappeared behind the mountain, and
slowly went his way towards the lonely grotto
Here the moon rose up to find him PROSTATE
on the dead leaves about tho statues feet but
as the eastern sun flung its beams over the
lonely shrine, the haggard face looked up
towards the sky, while a roseate, tender glow
flooding all nature with it's CLEAN, lighted up,
as with q halo, his raised, appealing hands
and then in mist of golden light, the
stranger passed down the mountain side into
the peaceful valley-to return no more.
But when few months later, the college
Fathers babe the students remember in their
prayers, o poor criminal who, having volunta-
rily given himself up to justice and thereby
restored liberty and life to one accused wrong
fully of his own dark sin, was to suffer the
death-penalty that day, at set of sun, in one
of the distant cities of the State the ever
sympathetic hearts of boyhood recalled the
hayward stranger SO lately seen around their
college grounds But most vivid was the rec
objection, and most earnest were the suppliea-
tions there, in the lonely grotto all ehrouded
with the dead October leaves, where the sweet,
sad face of Her who is called the Help of Chris.
tans, seemed to look with pity on their
prayers. Aud also in the church before the
Crucifed, above whose head still lay q crimson
cloud but in the centre of which there pal
pitated softer flush which touched all be-
holders as though trembling heart was
thence appealing for Gods mercy and mems
PRAYERS.
And thus ends our American legend, beauti
full with the memory of October leaves, and
touching with the recollections of the grand
old Mountain church and if a scoffer think it
fancful or weird, we know it spoke most SOL
EMMY in our young days of Gods great mercy
to poor repentant sinners, and made us real
ize with grateful hearts how small, sometimes
are the means He deigns to use to- bring the
prodigal son once moro unto His loving arms,