The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1906-12-15
N0BODY'S CHILD.
4ovlngly,
AUNT BUSY.

'She amt no good at all, only to cause me
worry and fret, the young imp. Sad was the day
for when | took her from the Orphan asylum,
but / hate to send her back; no, will never send
her back, for she would cruelty them poor Sisters.
She gets me so fickled sometimes that [ could kill
her" Mrs. Thompson rubbed her large hook
"And who were her parents, the little upstart
Like not Their nobodies, else they would
provided better, and then their child would not
been sent to the home when they died.
Mrs. Thompson folded her fat hands and looked
admringly at the old priests calm, beautiful face.
1t was years since she priest before. There
something like anxious curve to his eye
brows. His keen insight into human nature told
him that Mrs. Thompson was far from being a
kind or motherly woman Perhaps that why
God had given her no children of her own.
Neither the woman nor the priest noticed the
pretty little face peeping through the red curtains
that shut off the sitting-room from the kitchen.
How full of angry fire were the big, black eyes,
set like diamonds in the sweet little face! How
tense were drawn the full red lips. What waves of
angry color were flooding the oval dark cheeks!
she viii turn the priest again me as she has
turned everybody else. He will be nasty to me,
TOO, because he viii think me bad and wicked. and
priests hate badness and wickedness. But | do try
TO be good. Oh, why didn't she leave me in the
Founding Home! If | wasn't such awful big
coward, ! would away and go back to them"
Then the little girl slipped quietly out of the
kitchen and ran to the hayhft. where she buried
herself in the sweet-scented hay and wept bitterly.
Poor motherless, baby. SO much like little lone
unfedged bird-a captive sparrow ill-treated by
hawk. She pressed one hard little hand to the
bruise ON her shoulder, the bruise that Mrs. Thomp
sons broom had left there
Father Kelly. the Redemptorist. had to
The little out-of-theway village TO give mission.
which sadly needed. The plant of worldliness
had taken deep root in the place and the false
breezes of indierentism gave it strength to grow.
The priest took special interest in all the children
and like every true laborer in the vineyard of
Christ he yearned share all their little crosses
crosses so heavy for their small shoulders He
not long in discovering that the stern faced widow
Thompson who owned half the village, was cruel
the little cirl she had adopted. He tried to be
kind to Ike child, but she avoided him.
Or day he saw her set down two large buckets
Of water. She was going to rest few minutes.
HCre was her opportunity. He crept up behind and
laid his hand softly on her thick brown curls.
Woodworking Minnie. Those are large buck
q. let me carry them to the house for you"
ri She met his eyes iercey. Those soft words. she
felt were only an introduction to a scoding. Even
then were her arms and shoulders smarting from
the much feared broom handle.
LET me alone" she burst out, Il kin carry them
meself"
She grabbed up the buckets and was gone The
priest looked after the little figure splendid in its
Young strength and a sigh escaped him. Tie knew
what that sensitive little soul suffering. But he
could not see her dark eyes just then, he would
have been more touched They overlooking
with tears of regret for her impatient rudeness and
her sure little feet had to guide her. because her
vision was blurred
ooh. | must be terrible bad at heart" she
sobbed. TO speak TO that priest and him
saint! Maybe Mrs. Thompson is right when She
calls me an imp and brazen-face."
While Minnie was eating what was lett OF Mrs.
Tbomnson's dinner. she heard her and Mrs Orr
talking together in loud, excited tones
you say the priest went through the field On
the eft-hand side Mercy OH US! my big bull s
loose there. and it is as savage as kin be- Oh mag
nothing happen to the priest" Mrs Thompson
was much disturbed at what Mrs. Orr told her.
Minnie knew that Mrs. Thompson's bull was a
dang ,rous animal Her heart filled with anger