The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-12-12

I came all the way from England to take you
home"
"And now you have brought me all the way
back just TO indulge my craze for painting Aus
traiah scenery, and to see the land of my birth.
You are the kindest and best of aunts"
Therefore, l do not like to see you looking so
sad you have been doing lately. my little girl"
"Well I'll try to be cheerful as of old, just for
your sake. But it is that bell. 1t recalls some
thing, [ know not what At dawn I hear it, again
at noon, then in the evening we heard it just
now, and it always creates the same unrest, and
awakens the vague memories"
Her aunt could easily have enlightened her, but
1t not her intention to do so. When their
twelve months stay in Australia was over. and
they went home again, Berthas "reminiscences
would trouble her more. She not going to
tell her that her early years had been spent amid
these very scenes, and that the sefsame bell that
deeply stirred her heart perchance had often
summoned her mother, her sister. and herself to
Mass. She had taken Bertha away adopted her
as her own, preferring that she should grow up in
the Protestant religion, professed by her father
and uncle.
The next morning to Berthas delight, the lit
tie newsboy made his appearance quite ready to
serve as her model. The canvas was prepared the
first rough sketches made, whilst and again
the boy answered in simple fashion the various
questions put to him by the young artist Who he
than ever convinced, was Gust like
mother" She had the same brown, wavy hair, the
same steadfast grey eyes, only mothers face was
paler and sadder. Then again, came the sound
of the Angelus bell and the boy looked wistfully
at the young girl, who seemed absorbed in her
work, made the sign of the cross reverently bow
ing his head while he repeated the heavefl-sent
prayer.
Bertha laid aside her palette saying philip,
what is the meaning of that bell, for | see you
know and understand it 2"
at is the cathedral Angeus bell" was the re-
ply. ut rings three times day"
eyes. [ know. [ often listen to it. What do
you say when you hear it?"
First | make the sign of the cross"
The sign of the cross, the sign of the cross
repeated the girl in dreamy puzzled way and
then slowly and thoughtfuly she put her hand to
her forehead, then her breast and made the holy
sign. ooh, [ wish | could remember. [ am sure
| once learned that from somebody. Go on,
Philip"
The boy. wondering at her persistency. re-
peated the whole of the ,Angelus, striving to ex-
plain its meaning he went along; and as the
sweet words of the Hail Mary fell on her ear
she started, for the prayer of her childhood rushed
back to her memory like the words of some long
forgotten song. Her painting for the moment
had lost its charm, for the something" she had
been vainly seeking seemed to be within her grasp
SO she dismissed the boy, saying: '"Thank you
Philip, for the lesson you have taught me- I shall
not forget that the bell rings three times day to
remind to thank God for the ineffabe mystery
of the Incarnation, and the prayer you say is the
Hail Mary Is that right? she asked with a
gentle smile, for the words, which she repeated
just Philip had said them, were like a foreign
language to her.
81 can't explain it very well, miss" said the
boy modestly, but if you will come round and
mother she will tell you all about it."
Il should like to your mother very much.
| will 60 some day, perhaps tomorrow; then she
may speak to me about it."
The girls mind was full of strange thoughts
that there little rest for her that night so she
rose early next morning and sat at the window
watching the masses of gray clouds, tinged with
palest pink, which gradually grew brighter and
ruddier until the suns golden splendor irradiated
earth and sky.
How beautiful is the breaking of the dawnl"
thought she, as she sat musng. Then, as the
morning Angelus started her from her reverie, and
she began her day with Hail Mary" she knew
that there had also. dawned in her heart glimmer-
ing of the beautiful light of faith.
80 you are Philips mother said Bertha
Howard, she stood in the front room of the
small cottage. 81 am SO glad to see you"
And you have been so kind and generous to
Philip that / am delighted to have an opportunity
of thanking YOU But as the grey eyes of the
speaker looked yearnngly at the fair face of the
girl they became misty with tears. for she knew
that Bertha the baby sister she had lost so
long ago.
HAS Philip told you all he has taught me, and
that | want to know more?"
about the Angelus ?" said Mrs Newman. "To
many Protestants there is something beautiful and
poetic about the Angelus bell which appeals
strongly to the sentimental side of their nature
so perhaps you are influenced by some such feel
ings; but to Catholics it is something more"
eyes, Philip has told me. You thank God for
the wonderful mystery of the Incarnation; it is a
religious act"
eyes; every time we say the Angelus we adore
the Word made Flesh To Catholics there is
something inexpressbly beautiful in the thought
that the ave Maria of the heavenly host the
chant of egions of angelic spirits necessarily re-
echoes throughout the whole earth inspiring us
with JOY and peace and hope"
"That is very beautiful thought said Ber-
tha 81 have never heard anything like it before"