The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-12-10
LIbY's FIRST COMMUNION.

T+Ip
-. for the greatest of banquets.
Yes child, | am happy, too, to think that you
ronp to receive your God for the first time this
ming. I trust that you viii pray fervently to
,rr Lord and His Blessed Mother for grace to love
.nr holy religion more and more,' and Mrs Allen
!u+Iv wiped tear from her eye and stopped
mamma, are you crying Why, you said YOU
,ere happy :" said Lily, and she looked with sor-
row al her mother
Il am happy, little girl, but l was"
Well why you crying I" said Lily, not Civ
mo her mother time TO finish what she intended
srnc 81 guess | know what is the matter mann
ma DEAR You thinking of papa. aren't youl [
have been thinking of him every day while | was
Il retreat Sister told us that whatever we asked
f6r today we would surely receive, SO | intend of
fering my first holy communion for papa
Lily ALLEN twelve years old, but in expert
epce she was much older She was her mothers
constant companion. and what troubled the mother
I troubled the child She never sought little girls
Of her own aye 10 play with; her mother was every
Thing TO her
Mrs Allen. when young girl. had many adj
nrers but unfortunately she fell in love with one
who was not of her faith. True. he was cookbook
inc and wealthy and was TO the world in general
GOOD catch She was warned by her parents to
have nothing to do with William Allen, as he was
not Catholic and would not make good hus
band for be was too fond Of Having a good time
But she loved not wisely but too WE'LL and in spite
Of the warnings from her confessor and parents she
married William Allen.
They were married but short time when he be-
gan tordicule her for going 70 confession fasting
etc He and those with whom he associated We're
in the strict sense of the word, of the world;
religion they had none. "A good time" was their
God At the club William Allen would often be
asked: Allen if you have children are you going
10 have them of the Papist religion: Why don't
you knock sense into your wife's head"
These remarks would pierce Allen like dag
ger and he would have it out with his poor wife
for being so stupid "as 10 believe all the Pope
saws He wasn't going to be Joke at the club
because his wife was fool. what the wife heard
nearly every other night
At last a day came when little girl was born
them. While the mother was happy with her
frst born still she was sad, for She knew that her
little girl could never openly profess her faith if
she lived William Allen swore that his child would
never lneel TO a priest. When the baby was four
weeks old she was baptized secretly but she never
went TO Catholic church What that poor mother
and wife suffered none knew but her God.
gulf seemed to be broadening between wife
and husband; he never stayed at home evenings,
took his wife and child out other good men
do Her ambitions were not his. her ways were not
his and her God was not his. Then how could two
lives live thus and be happy Impossible!
When the child was about five years old her ia
Their suddenly disappeared From that day to this
he had never been heard of. Mrs. Allen earned
livelihood for herself and child by sewing.
She lived hard, laborious life; still she was
reconced to it when she would think that her only
treasure was being brought up Catholic.
Her JOY was great today to know that her little
grl was going to receive her God for the first time;
that God whom her father would have her deny.
Mrs. Aliens married life had been perpetual
penance, and she offered it to the Sacred Heart,
that her husband if living. would be converted.
The children were marching IN procession from
the school room into the church. What beautiful
SIGHT it was to see those little innocent boys and
girls passing along like band of angels Lily Al
len in particular looked like something that
nst loaned to the earth for the day. How fair and
sweet she looked with her long yellow curls and
iGr blue eyes. No wonder that the poor mothers
heart ached as she watched that child for the
thoughts kept rushing through her mind, suppose
She should die and leave Lily; her father might
come back and claim her, and that little angel would
never again approach the Holy Table while he had
power over her" These thoughts made the poor
woman tremble with fear. Time for communion
came, and as the Host was put to Lly's tongue the
mother bowed her head and prayed that God might
take her child before she would ever drift from Him
q come into the possession of her father Services
were over and the children passed in procession
Dac5 to the school room.
Mrs. Allen was descending the steps OF the
church when hand was laid on her shoulder. She
quickly turned.
My God William Alen.". She caught the rail
ing OF the steps, as the sight made her dizzy; Tor
there stood her husband a typical tramp, all IN
rags He who was once fashion plate for the
"her Young men, now beggar; he who was once
80 robust and healthy. now consumptive No
wonder the sight made her sick and her head swim
ilcille I know ! am disgrace, but won't you
.oglye me and take me home to dieE and he wiped
atear away from his eve with his old SLOUGH hat.
" oud She not pardon the sinner when her angel
enid offered her first Holy Communion for him?
g " yes She would pardon him, and softly she said:
] forgive you, William and she took his hand,
}syng: Wait here until go for Lily; she made
ner first communion today"
@Sbo did, he said and hung his head 'eWen,
! will be disgrace to her. I viii go and follow |
you both to your home"