The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-02-19
BY THIS SIGN.

Her slender figure wrapped in the ample white
pala and holding by the hand her son Marcellus
she advanced IN the dark night looking like phan-
tom, as the expresses along the Via Appia had the
appearance of the dead standing sentinel before
their tombs. Her steps were directed toward de-
civity in the ground, showing light because of the
sand against the dark grass beyond. Suddenly she
stopped. A great sound of trampling feet and the
murlnur of the voices was coming nearer from the
high road, just beyond the tomb of Cecilia Metela.
The widow stepped behind one of the monu-
ments and waited; still the noise increased and pres
emily troops of slaves went past driving hundreds of
oxen toward Rome
The Faustina remembered that it was the eve
Of the great festival of Jupiter Capitolinus. The
procession lasted long quarter of an hour, then,
gradually silence reigned once more.
In spite of the darkness of the night, she did
not hesitate but followed certain path amongst
several that lay before her and followed it till
small light appeared amidst the yellow stonework.
Is it you, Venantius!" she asked softly.
An old man came a step forward
The peace of Christ be with you! And with thy
spirit"
Faustina pressed her boy closer to her and, gath
erng her robes together, she descended long stair
case which led steeply down under the ground.
The old man preceded her. He strongly
built but stopped, as if sojourning in the Cata-
combs had bent his shoulders.
And your litter?" he inquired turning round.
1T is waiting for me by the tomb of Caius" she
answered; shall l be alone this EVENING""
Yes the deacons have fixed the assembly for
tomorrow"
4 wanted to come in any case, for it is the ami
versary"
Already three years ago." said Venantius
TO me it seems like yesterday"
They came to long corridor, dry and warm, and
the torchlight revealed the long rows of recesses
wherein were deposited the sacred remains of many
martyrs. In the scant light, white marble slabs with
short epitaphs cut into them, made luminous incl
dents
Here it is" said the old man, stopping.
Here it IS" repeated the widow.
With a sudden movement she knelt down and
lost in prayer.
Three years ago she had followed him hither
who had been the life of her heart and soul. OH
that day, when by the very steps she had just
down, he had been carried down on Christian shout
ders his poor body broken drained of its life blood
crushed by the lions fangs, the head alone had been
spared, radiant with hope and seeming to turn
towards her with a supreme gesture of farewell.
A greater treasure than this dear one she had
never possessed earth. Never could she have
again! How she remembered the day of their
espousas when for the first time he had said with
the same emotion that filled her heart, ~ love
thee" And that other day on which the Apostle
Peter had Joined their trembling hands, united for
ever. When such deep emotion has touched hu-
man heart, then God alone can console it.
Their earthly happiness had lasted few months.
Small as the precious stone sparkling on her fin
ger; and like that precious stone, its memory even
sparked in the darkness of her life. Christ who is
love- permitted this to happen His holy will be
done!
And the widow arose.
Her husbands remains were deposited in the
third recess from the ground. She raised the little
bronze lamp up to it and read the inscription:
Here rests Septimus,
who died In the peace of the Lore,
and for Christ's sake.
The fifth of the calends of November
Presently she looked at the words; the grave
digger had rubber red earth into the cut letters and
It seemed as if the martyrs blood coming
through the marble
The child wanted to see in his turn. She took
him up in her arms so that his curly head was on
level with the inscription
why did he die, my fatherW
'Y on see, for Christi
Yes, know, but some boys said that if he had
only thrown few grains of incense the altar of
Minerva Caesar would have let him live"
That is true" said the widow, gravely.
1t is not much, grain of incenseW
1T is much on account of its meaningp
Faustina put her son down before her, and look
ing ntently into his clear eyes, she said:
Listen, Marcellus! Your father was a senator,
ne had palace in Rome, villa at Tivoi. More
than that. he had mel"
She stopped for moment as if looking at
vision, then she continued:
He had you, and he loved two more than
anything else on earth So that, if the grain of in
cense had been nothing, do you think, dear child,
Your father would not have thrown it the altar
Of Minerva2 Do you think so2 Tell me, my SON."
HE did right" said Marcellus.
Think you, he did not suffer when his freedmen
were weeping around hi10-when he kissed you for
the last time-when, in the circus, he looked for
me amongst the crowd of spectators-do you think
that man throws himself awav-throws all he
loves awav-that man tears out his own heart for
thing which he is uncertain of? No, he had seen
the Son of God in the miracles and teaching of