The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-06-25

found among the substantial taxpayers
Of Montgomery county, but not in the
pew rent list of St. Joseph's, and the
pastor has occasionally run across the
name among the theater parties sched-
uled i'll the society columns of the
Evening News, but never in the month
ly collection. The children have been
sent to the public school, two of them
have grown up without making their
first communion, but that doesn't wor-
ry them any. There is a rustic Of silk
as the fair hostess waves the pastor
into the capacious drawing room. I'm
doubleday there is tone of elegance
about it all; costly pictures on the wall,
rare rugs cover the hardwood floors,
and the bric-a-brac so profusely scat
tered about, if converted into cash,
would pay the pew rent for ten years
to come. Delighted, Father, to have
YOU pay us social call-really The
priests ought to be more social; they
could do so much good" is the g"e ting
of the lady of the house. Then tive
pastor has to explain that this is not
a social call, and as she has not been
to mass for six months, and DOESN'T
read the AIessenger-a blessed thing
this month-he has to tell her all alb It
the new residence, and the subscrip-
ton, and straightway the smile dies
out, and the face becomes frozen and
somehow the priest becomes aware of
sudden drop in the social tempera-
ture. "Well, really, Father, we would
like to do something for you, for your
house is dreadfully old, and quite be-
hind the times, and you know we are
all ashamed of it, but Mr.. X. has been
so unfortunate this summer in his III.
vestments and one of our tenants
belongs to your church by the way
didn't pay the rent, and our family is
so expensive; it costs so much to dress
the girls, really we couldn't give any
thing; but we do hope you will succeed,
for no one would be more willing to
give if we could spare it, and some time
we will help you along" So she rattles
along to the bewildered pastor, who has
lost valuable quarter of an houc and
is anxious to get breath of decent ar
outside.
"Come again, Father, we enjoyed
your call so much, and Mr.. x. thinks
so much of you,' is her parting salute
to the pastor, who is pretty certain that
the aforesaid Mr.. X. never gave him
two minutes thought in his entire life
"Now, don't forget us, Father" are
the last words, and with a bad taste
lingering on his mental palate the
priest hurries along, wishing he could
forget them and every one else of the
same stripe, for somehow or other the
thought of the old French cynic reverts
to his mind, Eve can judge what (;od
Almighty thinks of money by the class
of people He gives it to-"
Oh, this is merry work taking up
subscriptions, and instead of a house
the pastor might be building castles in
Spain with the good wishes he gets in
stead of dollars.
Seriously, though, these are only the
exceptions that give spice to the task,
the shadows that emphasize the bright
colors in which the memory paints the
story Of these visits to the households
of the parish; for in all candor and
truth be it said that both the pastor
and Father Quinn have many reasons
for being pleased with the cordial and
enthusiastic reception rendered them,
and are most grateful for the generous
assistance pledged for the new resi-
dence.