The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-09-27

was lying in wait for innocent and I'M
suspecting victim. Andrew, the rich
merchant who had gone to Salzburg to
receive large sum of money, was eX
pected to return this evening" and the
valley.
For an hour Antony waited behind
the clump of trees; the night grew
darker, but that mattered little to him;
ne was only wondering whether mis-
victim would still come or whether he
mad slept somewhere on the road, and
would not pass till morning. Come he
certainly would, for no other road led
to his house.
At last Antony's quick ear caught
the sound of steps; he seized his rifle
and raised it, listening breathlessly.
But another sound now reached him
not the step of the wayfarer, but the
sound of little bell. Too we'll did he
know It, In the days of his innocent
boyhood it had been his delight TO ac-
company the priest when taking the
blessed sacrament to the dying and to
carry the lantern in one hand and the
viaticum bell in the other across the
fields and mountains to the sick mans
house, as is still the custom in the Ty
roll
Again the tinkle fell upon his ear.
Antony began to tremble, a cold sweat
stood in great beads on his forehead,
and the words burst from his pale lips:
Jesus and Nary 1t is the viaticum
bell
And so it was; soon the priest carry
ing the blessed sacrament to a dying
man came into sight; few steps be-
fore him walked a stout Tyrolese lad,
bearing in one hand a lantern and in
the other a bell, which he rang from
time to time. In the dark night the
warning tones of the viaticum bell
drove the evil spirit of murder from the
sinners heart.
Trembling and confused, he came out
from his hiding place, threw himself at
the feet of the startled priest, Stam-
mering out. Pardon"
The priest drew back for moment
in fear but soon recognizing Antony,
over whose wild ways he had often sor-
rowed. and for whose conversion he had
offered many prayers and penances, he
gave the lad a sign to withdraw to
some little distance, and Antony con-
fessed his murderous intent. Awe
struck, the priest listened to his con-
fession; but soon seeing in him the
signs of true repentance, he spoke
words of comfort to the trembling sin
ner
Full of gratitude and humble joy that
he had been warned by the viaticum
bell before it was too late, Antony took
the lantern and accompanied the priest
TO the end of his journey which was
still at some distance. On the road
they met Andrew, who also Joined them
and accompanied his God, then re-
turned in peace to his home, little
dreaming of the danger which threat
ened his life
From this time Antony's life was
quite changed. The warning of the
viaticum bell seemed ever sounding in
his ears; his gratitude to God was I'M
bounded, and he lived as a Christian
ought to do.
Once only did he again take UP his
rife to turn it against his fellowman
That was in 1866, when the Garibaldi-
ans invaded the Tyrol He fought
bravely and died the honora BILE death
of a soldier.
After his death a packet was found
marked: In Gods name l beg who
ever finds this. after my death to open
it and send the letters it contains to
their rightful address.
There was a letter to Andrew and
one to his own brother, telling them of
what she had once purposed, of the
warning of the viaticum bell and of
his deep repentance. There was also a
letter to the good priest, begging to be
often remembered in his prayers, as no
doubt he was.