The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-05-12
ANOTHER VOCATION.

There's no use trying, sister;
can't get on at home"
I'm sorry to hear you say that
Mary dear" said Sister Rose; but
before you tell me all about ii, let US
go out for walk through the grounds;
for this Indian summer day is too
beautiful to be spent indoors"
While they are getting on their
cloaks the first part of Mary's story
may be told.
Mr.. and Mrs. Brent owned a farm in
Ohio. They worked early and late
and stinted themselves to pay for it;
and after fifteen years of toll they sue
ceeded in clearing it from debt. That
was six years ago. Then they deter
mined to give their five children, of
whom Mary was the eldest, the gentle
education they themselves had never
had, and the lack of which they had
often lamented. Their plan was to
send Mary to a convent academy until
she should be graduated, and then
bring her home to teach Joe and Ray
nond. Nellie and Grace.
Accordingly, when Mary was u years
old she was sent to the Sisters, and
with them she remained until last
June, when, with diploma and medal,
she returned to her fathers house. 1t
had required extra frugality on the
part of the other members Of the. fam
lily to meet the bills for her tuition,
clothing, and incidental expenses; but
the burden had been cheerfully borne,
with the expectation that Mary would
repay all their sacrifices.
The month of July was spent by
Mary in rest. She did not seem to
care to help in the work of milking
of cows. churning the butter, feeding
the chickens. tending the lambs, or
picking the berries for market; and
while she was useful in sweeping and
busting. she was not Of much help to
her mother in the kitchen.
And that poor mother Is far from
well. Hard work has made her old be
fore her time. Yet she found no fauIt
with Mary in the early summer, say
ing TO the father that "the girl must
have a chance to get used TO home pc
fore she can be expected to do her
share of the work.; but when August
and September brought no change, even
gentle Mrs. Brent uttered some re-
proaches. The home school, from
which SO much had been expected, was
beg11n on the Feast of our Lady's AS
sumption. It was closed on the Feast
of the Blessed Virgins Nativity.
sWhat is the trouble with you,
Marv?'' asked Sister Rose, as the two
strOIled through the Maple Lane,
along the borders of which the purple
and yellow and scarlet leaves lay IN
fragrant heaps. >,
Everything goes wrong at hoiile,
answered Mary. THE boys tease me
ana the girls won't study. Joe made
fun of me till father told him to quit;
then he refused to learn his lessons;
and I'm blamed for it all. Raymond
ie eo slow | couldn't get him to under
stand anything; and Nelly and Grace
never had their tasks. and were con-
stantly in disgrace. Mother Sald She
could not bear to see them punished
So often. so we gave up
And what have you been DONG
e;ncs7'' inquired Sister Rose.
o1Well | lust hate household drudg-
orv and I don't do much Of it. Mother
said she'd sooner do it herself than
have me worry over it, and L let her
have her own way.
How, then, do you spend your
timer" o,o4 ,.o,,,o
~, Going to write a novel-you know,
ci atis YOU said / showed some apti-
80 as q -telleT-and l practice
~ music regularly. We have only
,4ar1oT organ, which father said, when
he bought it, was good enough lot the
,-irls TO learn on. He promised me III
lung that he would get me d piano;
49, now don't know whether he VIII
puC ~" 7 shall not need it, though"
..Recause I am going to leave home"
Are you? And where are you go
ing?" +ho4 & ia like TO
become a Sister. .o
A smile fitted over the p a,,,io,,I lac
Of the religieuse at this announce
ment 49, .ba+ vo,,.d es-
cape trouble by becoming sar 3 acb 2aStei a
. You nay in the line of duty at home.
S Snd You IMAGINE that you w9a5d p s%G
ceeu I.oIor,,S,er what the poet says:
y yI9tor1 IT Who go abroad may change their
s geg but not their disposition You're lure
mistaksnitt a ncg like a magic armor to
the the ha Ill trials away It brings its
o oSn obgationg to all .r who as T Sard t.
anu tlo ,,,y that YOU are likely to en-
e pean e in the world. We haSye more
co gane hut we have need of more.