The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-10-10

who was becoming vexed at the turn affairs had ia
Ken. 1t is difficult to say what might have been
inns fate the great feast day had not one of
he assistant priests hurried into the boys sacrsty
and ordered the line to be formed at once
Here, Timothy Sheehan, and you, Johnnie Ry-
an, you two are to serve mass today. Now, do not
hurry the prayers, and do not spill the water or the
wine"
Gee, Sister, you're-you're good!" said Master
lin, now delighted at this decision in his favor.
May | ring de bell?'
A nod from the Sister as he passed on into the
priests sacristy wreathed Tins face In smiles.
What altar boy is not happy it, when serving mass,
he be allowed to ring the bell or sound the gong!
The Sister from the sacristy watched the altar
boys In the sanctuary. She did not observe that
Master Timothy Sheehan particularly attentive
70 his duties, or that he appeared particularly de-
vout. His "me culp, me cup, me maxi culp," was
as hurried and indistnct usual and she was quite
sure that he had not pronounced all the words OF
the "Miscreatur," notwithstanding she had trained
him long and often He made several small mis-
takes In serving, at which the good and patient Sis
ter sadly shook her head in disapproval, but Mas
ter Tim took particular not to look towards the
sacristy door those occasions.
1t SO happened later that Tim occupied seat
opposite this sacristy door and he had good view
of the profleof the preacher.
Did the boys thoughts during the discourse fly
off to the ball field to the hedges where the birds
nests were, or to the swimming poole Watching
him. Sister Annette, had she. been interrogated
would have answered these questions in the afir-
native, and, patient as she was, she beginning
to lose hope that the lad would do better. Was
he not the most troublesome boy in her class, and
the most ill-mannered in the sacristy? Did he not
have real fist fight with Tom Jones yesterday af
ternoon just before all the children taken to
church for confession? Did he ever come prepared
with his lessons? And it was he who had put the
stone through the of of the stalnedglass
windows in the church.
Shp hpoa to cha1xa borh hoo at he
of the youngsters catalogue of crimes and it is to
be feared, missing much of the sermon. She
suddenly stopped in her mental condemnation of
Tim, for she something In the boys face, across
the sanctuary, she had never before. The
young rattlepate sitting tense his large open.
hot eyes fixed upon the speaker in the pulpit, who
in mellowed but impassioned cadences told of the
love of Christ for man in the great gift OF the
Blessed Sacrament Tins hands were unconscious
ly clasped tightly, and there was occasional
catch in his breath Sister Annette saw look on
his face beneath the dusk and-and, yes, CRIME if
you will-that transformed the boy. She lost sight
of his perennially touseled hair and his freckles
and obtained glimpse of the real, true Tim behind
all this.
Timothy Sheehan later did not appear different
from other boys during the procession of the Blessed
Sacrament 1t was all very beautiful and devotion
al yet did not seem to be unusually impressed, and
as the Sister watched him from afar she apparently
forgot what she had seen, and her former judgment
of him reasserted itself.
After the religious observances of the day there
was no school The boys played a game of ball in
a neighboring field, and Tim not the quietest
in the game, the least vehement in settling the
perennial disputes which arise In closely contested
game Towards evening the field gradually cleared
of players and witnesses of the game, but Tim de-
layed his departure.
"Come on home to supper, Tim Sheehan [ am
going your way" said boy.
"Oh, you just go on. I'll be along presently"
"Come on! Come with us, Timw
mo, I'm going round behind the church. Don't
you wait for me-"
The other boys left him and walked on up the
road Sheehan watched them until they out
of sight, and then quickly approached the nearest
outdoor altar where the last benediction had been
given before the procession re-entered the church.
There was no one in sight now that he could see /;
nevertheless he looked all around cautiously. He
then went to the little altar, and, with one more
glance around in all directions to make he
not observed, he reverenty bent down and kissed the
altar where the Blessed Sacrament had last reposed
Father John happened to be looking through the
lace curtains of his study window at the moment,
and he was correct when he remarked to his assist
ant: 'Did you see that? That's the real American
boy AS good as gold at heart but he does not want
to be found out or seen. I'll bet you q box of Ha
vanas that when the time comes I'll have to send
that young madcap to the seminary"
"That? Tim Sheehan! I'll take the wager,
Father"
But old Father John was true prophet and
knew the American boy well, and this summer Faith
er Timothy Sheehan sa 4 his FIST mass-Res. ]. F.
Ccpus s. T.. in the New War1d, Chicago.
In Toledo, O., recently, an Irishman hard
at work painting the top of telephone pole
bright green, when suddenly the pot of paint slipped
and splashed on the sidewalk.
Not more than few seconds later another Irish
man, also an employee of the telephone company,
came along He looked at the paint, then at his
countryman on the ladder coming down the pole.
Then. with affected anxiety, he called:
sMulcahy, Mulcahy How We had himmorr-
hagew -.-
CATHOLIC CHURCH IN UTAH.
CONTINUED from page ~
tbat ceibates who are free from the anxieties bur-