The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1909-08-28

, The last thing the Father Superior heard
were the footsteps Of Father JChl on
the stone slabs, growing fainter and
| fainter, but he knew his visitor was
within his cell by the noise OF the clos
| ing door
! In the lonely cell, by night and day,
and day and night, the priest was most
| faithful to his devotions. IL his mind
there was an irrepressible longing for
some sensible representation Of the
! Blessed Face-the face of the Lord.
| He had idealized the Christ until now
| he believed that the time had come,
or was quite near, when he would see
the majesty and tenderness and beau
| ty Of the Blessed Face for himself.
Thus Father John spent his days IN
penance and his nights in prayer re-
! fusing to look upon any face until the
object of his quest had been attained.
| 1t seemed that no one could poss bly,
| be more faithful in this than the Bene-
| dictine monk. AS he would sometimes
| look outward through the small win
| dow of his cell, the hurricane neithe"
| inspired him to terror nor did the
placid waters soothe Inn. To him the
sea was as if it were not, and blrd
songs, and children's voices and sWee:
| flowers blooming outside had no at
| traction for him.
But one morning his face seemed il
| lumined with the freshness Of hope
He seemed to hear a spirit voice which
said that that day he would see his
| Lord-see the Blessed Face. Now he
might be more than repaid for his long
vigil and for his far journey from the
busy haunts OF men and the world Of
stress and strain. And he set himself
with special care to watch for the
Blessed vision.
At length there came gentle tap on
the window of his cell; for it was in a
cell on the ground floor he had watched
for the Blessed Face. A little child,
tired and ragged and hungry, had
drawn near to the window, and there
was pathos and pleading to be taken In
and sheltered and fed. Her feet were
cold, her clothing scant and thin.
his deyotions and paid no heed to the
child's cry. Besides, he felt that now
or never he would see the Blessed
Face. He was waiting for the appear
ance of the glorious vision that he felt
had been promised. So he waited en-
and watched on till the day had drawn
near its cleaning and he was disap-
pointed. Meanwhile the child had
gone away unheard and unfed and un-
clothed. The promise of the vision had
not been fulfilled.
On the morrow a boat was in readl-
ness to take him back to his duties in
the city Of the far South. Many ami
sad were the farewells of the brothers
of Clugniac of Iona-the Blessed Isle
At night the Father Superior gath
cred the brothers near him after sup
per, and related the quest OF Father
John. The little child neglected by the
Bened:ctine monk had been taken in at
the little Office and cared for, after her
visit at the window CELL With grow
ing wonder and interest the brothers
listened to the story of the quest fol-
the vision
"Why was the vision so delayed tC
Father John?" Asked the Old Father
Superior. And the brothers with open
eyes and open hearts listened for reply
my children he said tenderly, "le'
me tell you. Father John did moi
know the Christ had come to him In
the child he needed not, and that, un'
welcomed at the window cell, He had
gone away. That was why to him, my
children, the vision failed, and VIII!
he did not see the Blessed Face. New
York Weekly Witness.