The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1910-12-17
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NINA possesses as its most
VT sacred relic the swaddling
~ clothes Of the Infant Jesus.
It Is q sweet and beautiful
possession which many visitors come
from afar to vensrate.
One Christmas eve the sacristan
was arranging the treasure confided to
his care. which was to be exposed to
view on the great fete OF the morrow.
The sacrtstan was little. hump
packed man, bandy-legged and red.
nosed. and 1t was to this ugly person
that the privilege was reserved of al
ways caring for the adored relic. We
must not be astonished at this, but
must reflect that often the most hum
Die and unattractive are chosen to be
nearer the kingdom of heaven. But.
unfortunately, the hump-backed sacris-
tan had no idea that he was one of the
elect, and the marvellous character of
MS task gave him no extraordinary
emotion. During the 20 years that he
mad snuffed the candles of the cathe.
dral. and been in daily contact with
the treasure. he had received no On
l1ghtenment: he never made the sign
OF tho cross before touching the sa-
cred linen. and he treated it with tho
same mechanical Indifference with
which he had hammered the soles Of
tho boots in his former occupation Of
cobbler.
This day. on opening the cupboard
IN which tho linen of the Infant Jesus
was carefully enclosed, no whistled
little dance tune and thought. ugh!
It's not nice weather outside"
A violent wind was blowing In the
town. unlocking the signboards Of the
shops, and making tho chimneys shake
ON all the pointed roofs
The man. on entering tho sacristy.
listened to the moaning of the wind,
and thought that the fury Of nature
did not accord we'll with the fete for
which he was preparing; but doubtless
there was striking symbol In the
storm, and tho unloosed elements
might calm themselves suddenly when
the words of pardon and pity were
said: "On earth peace. good will to-
ward men" g~~ ..> -:..
Tho sacristan went to put his coarse
hand carelessly on tho Divine relic.
when an unheard-of event happened.
The window in the sacristy opened
suddenly, pushed by a great rush Of
wind. The storm entered like an in
vasion Of tho Barbarians: It rushed
over all In tho room. knocking down
tho sacred objects. and the linen Of
tho Infant Jesus. taken up in the
iwhirling tempest. was blown out Of
tho window. The hump-back remain
ed for moment stupid and stricken,
then recovering himself. no rushed
into tho @hurch, crying:
!: saint Joseph! Saint Martin! Help!
Help! They have taken tho linen!"
At this alarming cry the people ran
from all parts. The priests In their
suplices, tho beadle In his cap. the
Swiss with his halberd, the old women
who had been praying. ran with pale
faces and terrified eyes. and everyone
cried out:
what are you saying? Holy Moth
er! what are you saying?"
The little hump-back tore to tho
door; he seemed stricken with mad
ness.
The linen!-what misery!-the lin
en-! BY the window! A puff of wind!
Run quickly to catch It again!"
Then in the road was sudden tumult!
everyone began to run in pursuit of
the stolen relic.
The noses. turned up to the houses
'resembled notes Of Interrogation.
There! there!" said some one.
mo, mol"
They discovered It at last. It was ly-
Ing close to a crest high up on the
roof of tho church. Ono would have
said that the fretwork column. chilled
with cold. had taken refuge in tho
sheltering folds.
There it is! there it isl" Every
one cried out together. But how were
they to reach It?
Its tho sacristan's duty to 30 up;
it was he who let it CO." Tho hump
back whtstled no longer.
- Suddenly a courageous man came
forward. He crawled up the columns.
he hooked himself to the fretwork. he
hung from tho projections; after a
thousand perils he arrived at tho
place, and extended his arm to take
the linen. But-at this moment, the
linen unfurled itself and was blown to
a neighboring roof.
People rushed to catch it; 1t waited
until the hands were quite close, then
it few OF to tho other side OF the
street. Fl. -.-
Now began an extraordinary race.
From street to street, from roof to
roof, tho Divine swaddling clothes
few, pursued By the crowd. ...- ....
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