The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-07-18

Ing, were the Indians who had come 70 his
CO LIBERATION of the mass. The distance from
chapel to the convent is but miles
trihing walk on one of the cool, crisp, Osto-
ber-like days which serve for winter here in
Monterey. But beneath that summer sun
even q strong msn would have grown faint
and weary-if he had not fallen outright by
the way. The strength Of Padre Jose was
given SO largely TO the service of God that
but little remained for his own needs; and 80,
midway in his weary walk, coming TO a
place where q tangle Of mesquites cast
warm shsdow-that yet, in contrast with
the fiery sunshine, was refreshing cool-he
thankfully cast himself down upon the
ground for rest.
Close beside where he sat was field Just
cleared for planting, and along the newly
made scequia the brown water was moving
slowly, and Yves giving great solace to the
thirsty land. 1t is thought by some that the
large field set about with palmss, on the slope
below the chapel of Guadalupe, Is the very
field beside which Padre Jose rested that day.
Whether this be truth-as it well may be-or
only fancy, we may not know: but it sure
IL is true that while the Padre sat there rest
ing he raw lying in the dust of the wsyside,
where it had been carelessly tossed when
pluoked up from the ground, little palm
tree scarce span Tonga thin, green shoot,
rudely wrested from the place whore it hsd
begun its innocent, joyous life, and thus cast
forth 10 die At first the padre, worn by the
heat and by the sorrow OF his heart, Thought
not at sll Of this poor little palm on which
his eyes rested idly. Aud when, presently,
he perceived its presence, and understood It's
OWL plight, there came for 1t no compassion
II to his heart. He even, for little space.
a n o-T1o1 r,loarrrra in
cling there in the scorching sunshine-for.
getful that his hood had fallen back from of
his tonsured head--he carried the sorrowfal
little tree to the acequia and plunged it into
the refreshment of the slow-moying brown
water; and held it there tenderly, until the
piiiiul hmpneEs vanished from the tiny leaves
and there was something Of frmness in the
pale green stem And he felt that this mourn
ing thing, now made joyful, was offering its
thanks to him. Then in some soft moss that
he found beneath the grove of mesquites,
well wet, so that 8 grateful dsmpness might
be had for the rest OF the hot walk, he en-
wrapped it lovingly-and so set of once more
fer the town. Not until he sat resting 10 his
still, cool cell, the little palm meanwhile
having been planted in rich, moist earth in
the convent garden, and carefully shaded
from the sun until Its strength should come
again, did Padre Jose realize that in tighten
ing the troubles of this poor, forsaken tree
he Lad for brief space wholly ceased to
feel the weight of bis own. Aud as ne pray
ed there, in the shady stiffness of his cell,
the thought came into his heart that God, in
His infinite goodness and mercy, had sent
him this little palm that he might have some-
thing TO love. Being yet upon his knees, he
prayed from out the depths of bis simple,
truthful soul that this good gift might in
oeed be bis, AID that the little palm might
live.
And the palm did live From day to day.
It lovingly and faithfully, praying the
while for its well being with the same
trusting faith that be was wont to pray for
the saving Of heather souls, it grew and
fourished; and il rtjoiceo in the strength
of its regsined life with visible glsdaess
that Was reflected into and that glsddened
MS own sorrowing heart. When tbs weari.
ness Of his labor rested heavily upon him;
when dark dependency seized him and
the though. weighed heavily upon his soul
that his work among the heatheni was in
vain, and that should he die no one would
have been the better for'his life or would
be the worse for his death-then stealing IN
upon this darkness of sorrow would come the
sweet consciousness that the palm lived and
loved him and depended upon Inn. And
the other, the human love that so wrenehed
and tormented him, and that could not, in
It's very nature, be cast out of his being. wss
tempered and chastened by this purer love.
When, In the early morning, and again in
the evenings dusk, he came TO his palm and
uninsured 10 its thanksgiving it draughts
of sweet water, heaping rich earth about its
roots, pruning away its too-luxariant leaves,
so that its life might be concentrated and
strengthened for more vigorous growth
the memory Of MS early, passionate love
would come back 10 him; but comtOrtingly,
being purified. And ss be went about his
holy work by day, and the thought of the
little tree that loved him and that waited for
his return at night, upheld and streng thensd
hin.
The palm, for its part, repaid the csrs tina.
Padre jose gave 1t, by growing as never
palm grew before. Its slim stem became
thick and sturdy; its gracious leaves spread
out IN a festhery crest, and everywhere
upon il were signs of rich, abundant life.
So the months slipped silently away, and
were lost in the depths of the passing years,
and the palm shot up and became strong,
beautiful tree; and because Of its existence
there came to be. if not happiness, at least
refreshing love that bred peace in the heart
Of Padre Jose. And so was fulfilled the
promise that God made to him, speaking by
the blessed St Francis in the vision.
Thus more than score Of years passed
on. Through sll this time the Padre Jose
gave of his strength freely to his holy work
and many heather souls were saved which,
but for his Jealous labor surely would have
been lost. His palm had long since out
grown his care for it, and now, in its turn
cared for him-even as his sturdy son, b5ing
come to mans estate, might have cared for
him had il pleased heaven to satisfy his hu-
man love. 1t was noble tree now; and
against its foot he had made seat, where
he would come in the early morning, and
again as the sun went down, for rest and CON-
forting. And the palm, swsying little in
the evening breeze, would press its trunk
against him lovingly, and soft whisperings of
its thankfulness for the life that he had
given It would come down TO him from its
rustling, feaihery leaves When he was sad
thinking OF the WEAKNESS of life and Of all the
SORROW that there was therein, the palm leaves
rustled to him mournfully in echo of the
mourning that was in his heart. Yet imper-
ceptibly, the tone of thei. murmurings would
change, bringing into his heart more and
more of brightness.
At other times, when the memory of his
lost love on earth would come back to him
and fiji him with a drqarv "a mess the nalrn