Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1904-04-28


been here All, you should have seen
his dear old eyes full of loving tears.
He would walk hundred miles to see
you, he said, but never expected to in
this world Blessings, blessings upon
dear Father Beret, was what he MUIR
INJURED in my ear when we were part
ing. He says that he will never leave
Quebec until he goes to his home
above-ah.'
The way in which NJ. Roussillon
closed his little speech, his large eyes
upturned, his huge hands clasped in
front Of him, was very effective.
81 am under many obligations, my
son." said Father Beret, for what you
tell me- 1t was good of you to remem-
Der my dear old friend and go to him
for his loving messages to me. l am
very, very thankful. Help me to an
other drop of wine, please"
Now the extraordinary feature of the
situation was that Father Beret had
known positively for nearly five years
that Father Sebastian was dead and
buried.
"Ah, yes" NJ. Roussillon continued,
pouring the claret with one hand and
making a pious gesture with the other.
1.-THE dear old man loves you and prays
for you. His voice quavers whenever
he speaks of you.''
Doubtless he made his old joke to
you about the birthmark on my shoul-
DER" said Father Beret after q mo-
ment of apparently thoughtful silence.
"He may have said something about it
in playful way, eh?'
"True, true; why, yes, he surely men,
toned the same" assented NJ. Rous-
sillon, his face assuming an expression
of confused memory. ut was some
thing sly and humorous, 1 mind. but it
just escapes my recollection. y right
jolly old boy is Father Sebastian. In
deed very amusing at times"
"At times, yes" said Father Beret,
who had no birthmark on his shoulder
and had never had one there or on any
other part of his person.
How stranger Alice remarked. II,
too, have a mark on my shoulder-a
pink spot, just like small, five petaled
flower. We must be of kin to each
other, Father Beret."
The priest laughed.
'If our marks are alike, that would
be some evidence Of kinship," he said.
"But what shape IS yours, fatherT
"Pve never seen it." he responded.
"Never seen it! Why"
'Well, it's absolutely invisible" and
he chuckled heartily, meantime glanc-
ing shrewdly at M. Roussillon out Of
the tail of his eye.
Its on the back of his shoulder"
quickly spoke up NJ. Roussillon, land
you know priests never use looking
glasses. The mark is quite invisible
therefore so far as Father Beret is con-
cerned!'
you never told me Of your birth
mark before, my daughter" said Fa-
ther Beret, turning to Alice with sud-
den interest "It may some day be
rood fortune to you"
"Why so, father2'
IF your family name is really Tarle-
ton. as you suppose from the inscrip-
ton on your locket, the birthmark, be-
ing of such singular shape, would prob
ably identify you. 1t is said that these
marks run regularly in families. With
the miniature and the distinguishing
birthmark you have enough to make
strong case should you once find the
right Tarleton family"
You talk as they write in novels"
said Alice. 1--WE read about just such
things in them. WpalJn't 1t be grand
II I should turn out to be some great
parsonage in disguisew
The mention of novels reminded
Father Beget of that terrible book
which he list say possession,