The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-02-18

! uio"Hou !--ut !-luty WOulu never Sc
them again! never hear their pleasar
voices The dear ones they had loved 70
years were taken from them in moment
and the thought Overcame them, and the
sank npon the beach. Then they com
menced, through their tears, to praise tht
dear bcye; 80 good, so kind, 50 loving. Now
they thought them dead, trey fully appre
ciated them and knew how they had loved
| them.
| When Pauls son came scudding along
towards the beach, he tod his father h0 "
he bad found "that boat adrift with DC
one in her.
"Poor women !" said old Paul, trying to
console the sorrowiug mothers ); perhaps
| your boys has swimmed ashore which is
more than l think them four men did as
| went to find the boys most likely all oi
| them is drowned, and all because your
| boys took their boat"
The mothers sat moaning and wringine
their hands, while Paul's son lowered the
sails and busted himself about the boat
old Paul was just going to make another
of bis consoling spe eches when he eaw two
Objects coming towards them, on the beach;
these objects gradually inceased in s re as
they came nearer, and he soon dscerned d
that they were boys; they were RAINING as
fast as they could, and in a few minutes he
made up his mind whose boys they were ;
80 he made his con nsoing speech at once.
l. Poor boys!' sad he to the crying
women, "though they aren't much loss any
now; they were always getting In mischief;
but, to be sure, one of them was much
worse than the other, though"
Pa1l did not finish his speech for both
mothers were instantly on their feet, with
indignation flashing from their eyes
Which boy acas the ,cOrSt ?" they exclai me d
both at once. 1t would undoubtedly have
been bad for old Paul, but that the very
pext moment they both screamed, "My
Freddie "My Willie !" aud casped their
children in their arms. Jnst then the clouds
pa sed away, and the bright beams of the
setting sun fell upon the happy group.
% IL is all very well FIR you to be EN-
bTacIDg, and so happy" said Old Paul
- but just think OF them four men yonr
no:s has sent TO an untimeiy grave, to say
nothing of my boat, mDet likely lustn
90 The men are all saEH,n SAID Freddie 4:
& you see We found we couldn't manage t.iau
stranEe craft, So, when it began TO blow, we
ran her ashore, and as we care back we
saw them on the beach just above here !;
there they GENE, don't you SEQ ~
e" Yes, they are coming without a boat
Just as yon did" SAID old Paul; "but yon
are all lucky to get back alive"
DON'T you think we had better be
going 7" said Willie to Fred.
- think we had" and at once they took
to their heels and ran for home. Aud as
the mothers walked lovingly. arm in arm,
tHSy hhiu III " WaSOhtS % Dtt OF m1BcDi61
of the dear boys after all.
When the four men came up, Paul could
not help laughing at their appearance.
9 You look worse than drowned rats !"
said he.
Where are the boys that took our
boat7" they asked, in angry voices, all at
once.
Well," said Paul, al can't cay they
were here just now, but if you want to
leave anything in the way of a reward for
them, you can hand it to me-"
" Reward !" the men exclaimed :" what
forfp
Why" said Paul; "they saved your
you wanted to start, just before the storm,
l have nodonbt you would be drowned men
by this time, considering what blow we
have had, ard what condition you were
in."
You are right" said one of the men
" for we were nearly drowned in getting
ashore from the small boat"
"Its Il lessou to me said another; 81
snail not drink again after to-day"
No more olue Mondays for me-" said
the third.
'' am going to try to spend my Sundays
better after this," said the fourth.
Well, then" said old Paul; " if you
will pay me for the hire of my 6uat, which
l have got to go half a mile to get, yon can
leave these hospitable shores with an old
mans blessings, and his very beet wishes
that you may each one of you profit by the
Lesson you hbve had"
Sober and wet, the four men departed for
their homea.
AS fer Fred and Willie, old Paul thought
th at a word of advice would not be lost
up"n them; hut when he heard how fright.
eued they had been, he concluded thaa thev,
like ttc four men, had learned lesson that
thcy would remember much lOnge than
Tntre advice.