The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-08-15


like brothers. Their home is still
standing-a little brick LEAN to-"
scarce two stories high. built in part
from their scanty income. They could
not afford a better place. The money
must go to the maintenance. of tho
church, as the Bishop expressed it.
And this hovel was erected behind the
church itself. The rear wall of the
church formed the back of the house.
the building being lighted on only
three sides.
Here these men lived, year after
year, Bishop and priest, eating OH i
table of rough boards, and sometimes
preparing their own food if they had
no funds to get assistance. They
slept on cots that stood OH floors bare
of rug or carpet. The home of many
a laborer in town was much more pre-
tentious and comfortable. But the
shelter cost SO little to build and 70
maintain, that it's builders could de-
vote a part of their allowance from
the Church authorities to aiding the
poorer members of their flocks. How
many families were thus relieved from
time to time by their charity is known
only to themselves. OF Father Gross
the story is told that if he had more
than one hat, or an extra pair of
trousers, he was sure to give them to
some needy parislioner. On one oc-
casion he came into the store of Il
friend with a.laced shoe on one foo:
l and buttoned gaiter on the othe:.
Asked why they were not alike, he ro-
piled that he had intended to give
pair to a poor man, but had made a
mistake and given one of each kind.
Within a year after the two men
began their labors the clouds had
broken. The observation-disclosures. and
especially the Americanisn1,t Of the
Bishop gradually changed the feeling
towards him and his followers. From
being distrusted at first, he became
esteemed. Through his influence tho
spirit of the town towards the Catho-
lies was transformed. from hostility 20
goodwill. The example set by their
head was e1nulated by his parishion.
ers, until finally the gap between Cath
olic and Protestant was closed ap-
cdrently. forever.
Only very few remain Of the group
of the faithful who. Sunday after Sun
day, knelt before the altar at ST.
Thomas. i,r the SOS. Clearly do they
recall the life Of the present Cardinal.
and the tales they tell depict not only
his work among them, but His jour
when for the time he laid aside his
official duties to assume the role of a
Christian messenger to the country
folk AS conditions at st. Thomas
improved he felt he could give more
time to the greater field, and, leaving
Father Gross in charge, he would -
absent for fortnight or more at a
time. Where possible, he Travelled by
| railway, but SO many households of
iron highway that much Of his jour-
neying was done OIL horseback, or on
nuleback, Or by wagon.
cit was indeed a dilapidated affair"
says Mrs. O'Connor, one Of his early
friends 1T was of the kind known as
democrat and drawn by two
horses. The Bishop sometimes had a
young priest with him, who. drove. or
colored man, who assisted. The
space they did not occupy was fill.i
with packages of clothing and such
things as sugar and flour and medt-
cines. Most of it was for the poorer
families with whom they might stop;
but they also carried their clerical
robes for ceremonies and food for
themselves, for many time did thet
old wagon stop in the forest where
they must eat their noon meal. We
often asked the Bishop to give up the
old wagon and get another, for it fr-
ally became so rickety that / thought
IL. dangerous. To break down twenty
miles from any human habitation is
not a. trifing matter. But he always
replied that ne = thought the wagon
might last while longer. And when
some Of the church members offered
to buy him another, he answered,
| Friends. you can give me the money,
IT you will. for the church needs IL,
but not for any vehicle for my use"
! Long ago. probably, the old dem
| ocrat" was turned into kindling wood
Or stored away to be forgotten; but it
lad rolled over thousands Of miles If
Carolina on its mission Of mercy. It
went into places where its owner risk
ell life and health In succoring fami-
lies i'll Of contagious diseases. 1t en-