Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-05-01

But | am so unworthy-as much
beneath you in mi4d and soul as IN es
tate.'
Il would have taught you som,
things II We we could have been TO.
gether; but you taught me much.
have always been glad you asked me
to come that time. Every woman'S
conscious life begins somewhere, anC
mine began there. think. But for
that might have been thoughtles:
and worldly, and lost my soul, as yor
would call it. There was room fol
that in the life | led. But that com
munion seemed to settle me, and il
helped me to remember you
i marvel, Monica, that you could
have received any grace through me
even then, when you we're but eigh
teen and l thirty. What was there
in such as | for such as you to lool
upon7 What could you see in me p
Il saw humility, unsel6shness, sin.
cerity, fidelity-all behind what you
gave to me. Don't fancy that make
you no return, because ] say we could
never have married; neither on your
side nor on mine was that possible.
But that may be only small thing in
life. l did care for you both as mar
and as priest. l do. Nc one else has
been to me just what you have been
no one else could be, think. There
fore wanted my last communion
from you, and with you, for both our
sakes. Only it is not the last. Re.
Remember-if l should die to-day
again, up there; remember =
For near a week he gave her the
communion every day, and then she
died. Toward the last it was she who
had to do all the consoling as well as
the instructing. The priest was shak-
en- to his foundations, and felt himself
to be but man--and yet Heaven had
never been so near. With choking
voice he read the prayer for the de
parting. Perhaps he gave her extreme
JUNCTION; some said he held to seven sa.
craments. l neither know nor care
about that, nor did any one else. To
the last she smiled on him, and let her
wasted fingers lie in his. He felt that
she was holding him, rather than he
her
He could not read on the homeward
journey, nor long after. What we're
and books of devotion to that
which he had seen and heard and felt2
And he ceased to perplex himself with
theories and questions about sacred
secular, or human and devine, know
ing at last that as the Divine was once
shown forth In the Human, so it is yet
and must ever be; that soul does, or
may and should, speak to soul when
heart meets heart; and that the best of
earth is still the nearest Paradise.
After year St. Hildegarde's be-
came vacant. Monlca's family were
people of wealth and weight; Myron's
humble devotion to their dead had
touched them, and the rumor of his
fidelity reused curious inter-
EST in many. The record of his labors
was not far to geek; he was called to
,he parish, and took it. For the POSI-
ion he cared nothing; the income was
Welcome merely as it could increase
lis charities; but he did not care to be
lear certain grave. His florists bill
s his one luxury. On that grave fresh
lowers are laid throughout the year;
when relatives go with their offerings,
hey find themselves forestslled. The
Rev. Septlmus Myron might be great
nan if he had any heart for greatness;
IL doors are open to him now, but he
till prefers those of the poor. He is
allied richly experimental preacher;
he ladies say he reads the Commun.
on Service with such depth and ten
lerness of telling; and there ls always
tremor in his voice at the passage,
for all thy servants departed this life
n thy faith and fea-, beseechlng thee
o give us grace so to follow their good
that with them we may be
'artakers of thy heavenly kingdom"
lie has no very intimate friends, but
hose who know him best say that that
thanksgiving and prayer lie closest to
lis heart and rule his life. Over the
rie dieu in his study hangs woman's
ace; young and lovely, with dark can
lid eyes and singular, fearles smile.
'he gossips call it St. Monica, and
'retend that he says his prayers to it.
+ he does, it seems to do him no great
arm.
well, said my sister, when / had
njshed reading this tale to the assem-
led family, If that is your idea of
eroineP
'Oh, but it isn't my wife interpos-
d. 1t's not his idea nor his heroine
all, only Mr.. Myron's.
Exactly said I. OF course I am
,erely giving you tae thing from his
oint of view. But what have you got
galnst Monica? This was Myron's af-
air, and he thought a good deal of
or.
'Oh, he!' Jane exclaimed, in tone
t much scorn. There is only one