The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-04-14

The GOOD monk promised Pietro to use
his utmost exertioDs in behalf OF tue little
wanderers. He then heard tie poor
wrstch's confession, consoled him, exhorted
him. and saw him die with every appear
ance of humility and contrition Tor his
aims. It was broad daylight before he re-.
turned to the monastery. and then ne nearu
with great delight that Nina was quite re-
pletely out of danger. In very few DAYS
they were both quite we'll again but the
winter had passed away before the gooc |
monks had an opportunity OF restoring
them to their mother. At length the sape,
rior of the monastery was obliged to seno
and to his care they were conhded, WIN
orders to take them on as quickly as possi
hle te Rosetta This was not very olm
cult task for the little village was 10
reality but q short days journey from
Genoa, though the artful Pietro had pre-
| tended to believe it at q much greater dis
tance, The little Italians travelled mer.
rily along with their kind friend, the old
monk. Pippo no longer complained OF the
weight of his organ, and Nina taught
thousand tricks to her little marmot, OF
| gathered wild flowers to offer the Madonna,
smiling all the time to think how hope
lessly she had flung them away while 1oi-
flowing Pietro to the mountains. The sua
was setting on fine Sunday evening, when
they gained the brow of the hill which
overlooked their village, and they ootn
begged the monk to allow them to enter
the Church of our Lady of DOlors, in order
to thank her for the love with which tney
felt she had watched over them during
their travels. He gladly allowed them to
do 60, and Nina told him she was sure they
wonld find their mother there; she always
came to the Sunday evening Benedictlon
at this church, and che was convinced she
would remain long after every one else
had gone to their homes, to implore the
blessing of Heaven on her absent chlioren.
She paused, for tbev had entered the porcn
of the church, and Pippo pointed to wo-
man weeping at the feet of an image OF the
scrrowful mother; little child sat quietly
, at her feet, and a cypress wreath was laio
on the altar before her.
ssIt ia onr mother" whispered NINA anu
! she was about to spring forward, but the
monk held her back, for he was afraid the
q eurorise would be too much for the poor
woman; 30 telling the children to remain
0 where they were, he walked forward, ano
:. removing the cypress wreath, put one o.
r Nina's wild flower garlanos IN lIs Piaoe. 80 -
r was some minutes before the mother per
ceiyed the change; but when she olo 30
j. sbe started from her knees, crying out
s "WLo has done this ~
att was l." said the monk, "because an
the bearer of happy tdiOgs come neo6 20 el 70,
% hiss sent you back the children whom yo'
thought lost forever"
}" He could say no more, for they Wer er
!; already in her arms, covering her ana Tn
little Gelsomina with their tears and kissee
l. AS soon as they were little composed
3, the monk drew them from the church, an
~ having accepted the grateful womans hos
fe pitality for the night, he returned wit
40 them to their humble cottage; The new e"
s, of his arrival with the little Italians 800
I'd spread through the village, and many
re the good people came to Congratulate ii
,ll happy mother on the return Of her chiiafe tba
q deliyerance many times that night, an
xt whenever he did 80 to the village chlldre ar
St. he never failed to make them remark TN
he the little wanderers owed their escal
, entirely to their generous forgiveness
the cruelty Of Pistro The beE very tssx ne1t Ga
taken shelter was completely buried b
i'll meath a very heavy fall Of snow, and n
In they not left it when they did, in search
o's a priest for Pietro, they would have be-
entombed alive within its walls, and Wou
ed, never have been discovered until too Ia
ler to receive assistance from the charity of t
~. nood NoDka of MOnnt St. Bernard.