The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-11-21
d arnlne Star arc Catholic Messenger.
INV oRIrANs, suNpAY. NovEMBER q, ls1s.
JUVENILE COLUMN.
THE NoBLEMAN's GIFT.


THE NoBLEMAN's GIFT.
There was once a nobleman, who took
rreat pleasure in making others happy.
6ne day, while travelling in distant part
of the country, he perceived, In q neio,
day meal under the shade of tree;
SIet us approach these people," said be
.o hia followers, and ask them If they
think themselves happyD
Three of the labOrere replied that GOD
had placed them in their present condition,
and they were contented and happy, and
wished for nothing more in this world:
The fourth frankly avowed that he wished
for one thing to complete his happiness
that was, for certain Inheritance which
his father possessed. >,
"Aud if you had that inheritance" SAID
the nobleman, IS would you be happy 7"
GAS much as could be in this world"
replied the peasant. -,
hAnd the value of the Inheritance ~
asked the nobleman.
1.-TWO thousand francs," was the re-
Spouse. .,,,oon
for shall be glad to make one man
happy in my life"
The next day the nobleman eaid to his
followers, Let us return and see now
mnch happier the peasant Ia than before he
received our gift"
stead of increasing the peasants happiness,
he had only rendered him more miserable.
Before he received the gift, he returned
home, after day of toll, to night of rest,
aud having nothing to lose he feared no
one now he was in constant dread of rob
beers, and had been unable to sleep during
the whole night. Before he had always
lived peacefully with his family but now
they were constantly wrangiing as to how
they should spend the money.
As to his three friends, who had been
ouite contepeed, they, too, had become IN
6appy and miserable because they had not
asked for money, and they envied him his
treasure so much that they had ceased to be
his friends.
The peasant begged the nobleman to
take back his gift, and leave him as happy
as he had found him.
The noblemsn turned to his followers,
and said s'You now zee how little this
man knew as to what would make him
happy let US learn from him to seek fol-
trne hsppiness-not in the increase oil
our worldly goods, but in contentment
and resignation to the will of God"
L1zzIE's CRUMBS.
q Mamma, are You glad to have your little
girl to help .youf Are you glad am 80
strong9 Did you know, mamma, that
while you were dressing Wally tried te
sweep up the crumbs that were all over the
fioor9 As fast as brushed them up into the
dust pan they slipped off, and was SO tired
of brushing them that put all in the corner
out of sight that is just as good"
"I am glad, Lizzie, that you are man
mas help and comfort, and glad You try to
be useful. The reason that the crumbs
would not stay on the pan was because
you held the pan too high. Shall tell
you what your heap of crumbs reminds
me off"
eyes, mamma"
"When we get old enough to examine
our consciences, and prepare to go to Con
fession, we gather up in our minds all the
wrongs we have done, all the sins we have
committed, and confess them to the priest
and we try to be sorry for our sins, anC
firmly resolve to do better in the future
Sometimes we grow careless, and the SIM
slip back again into our hearts; and If W.
do not ask Gods help, they gather abou
us still more, and we push them into corne
of our souls. Then we get discouraged, ant
stay away from Confession and the lOnge
we neglect our duties, the harder it be
comes to be good.
"Do not forget, my darling, when yoI
are tempted, to ask our Lord or His blessed
mother to aid you and try every night
before you sleep, to brush out the crumb
that may have gathered aboutyour hear
is all right with you as long as you havt
only put them out of ight into some corner.
Mamma, dear, will try never to for
get about the crumbs, and will rub ant
rub, and make my heart chine like thi
plate 30 that, when an angel comes 70
me, he will say, "This little child can go t
heaven, for I see no dust about her soul."-
Young Catholic.