The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-06-04

to our dear Lady Do this and, please God, before
May is out you'll come to me with different
story
Surely, though Nora McKenna, as she went
home, after fervent Salve at Our Ladys Altar,
this was providential She had been born the
9th of December, Sunday, at the hour when the
tr1ars her mother esteemed were intoning that
sefsame hymn, Hail. Holy Queen" That prayer
so beloved of Mar s children, especially woven
into her life; so old Father Cornell, who had heard
her first Confession and given her First Commu-
mon, had told her, often and often. She had been
received Child of Mary on the anniversary of
that First Communion, the feast of the Immacu-
late Conception. And when she to think of
1t, almost all the favors she had ever asked she had
obtained through her favorite prayer. So this was
nothing less than message, an assurance of help,
from that dear Mother whose child she was.
And with glmmer of hope piercing, starlike,
the darkness of her woe, Nora McKenna reached
home. Already the coy evening meal prepared,
the lamp lit, the shutters closed it seemed to her
hopeful eyes that she could discern some little i'm
provement in the invalids condition, even since
she had left him. There was more color in his
face, little more animation in his manner, a
steadler, calmer light in his eye. He had slept
deeply, he said, and had a strange dream. He
thought he was kneeling with her before the May
altar and that together they recited the Salve for
round his neck Miraculous Medal, and it seemed
to him as he kissed it that Our Lady touched his
forehead making him well and hearty once again.
Nora McKenna deeply impressed. She had
not seen such a return of her husbands old man
ner for months, and it was with a grateful heart
though with trembling hand that she stitched
Medal and Badge into his Jacket. Later she told
the story to Father OConnor, who agreed with her
that 1t was such beginning to her May that she
must confidently look forward to June of thanks
giving; with which words in her heart Mrs. Nc
helna's daily Saves-for she did not restrict her
self to one-became more and more apparent,
Father OConnor's sister begged SO hard to keep
the children for the summer months-she had be-
come so fond of the lively three-that Mrs Nc
henna had no option but gratefully to accede. This
was relief from one of the greatest anxietes; and
somehow or another, what with scrubbing wash
ing, and some mending, the little woman succeed
ed III keeping the home together quite triumphant
~, as well as managing to nurse James, who really
seemed to have taken a turn for the better, and
was daily gaining health and strengthen spite of
the Dublin doctors prophecy.
As for his mind, that seemed to be keeping pace
with his bodily health and he was mending so
wonderfully in both that Father O'Connor and Fa-
Their Dominic could say nothing beyond that it was
evidently the Blessed Virgins work
And one day-Nora McKenna could never say
how il could have come to pass, but only that Our
Lady, Health of the SICK" and "Comforter of the
Afflicted" had taken them under her care-there
came offer, splendid offer, to James from the
railway company in whose service he had been pre-
vious to the accident which had so long incapaci-
tated him. 1t was position of trust well paid,
and he was to have little cottage and garden plot
i'll of the healthiest partsof Ireland
Thank God, said Mrs. McKenna, whenever she
afterwards told anyone the story of that May, his
health was sufficiently improved to allow him to
accept, and the delight and interest in life that
offer filled him with proved to be the last thing
needed to restore his mental balance, making him
once again his former sane, strong happy self
The children returned Galway breezes having
set them a-bloom like roses, to make autumn &C
quaintanee with a new and fascinating little LONE,
and to help their father and mother in spare hours
in the cultivation and of that interesting and
fruitful garden plot which provided their table
with such variety of pleasant and nutritious fruit
and vegetable dishes, and jams for winter even
ings, and which has given them all such busy, in
MIGRATING hours of digging, planting wedding. and
enjoyment in the fresh air.
And her first money made by James in his new
position went for Masses of thanksgiving, both ia
Father O'Connors church and the Friary, where
the Mass said by Father Dominic himself at
Our Ladys Altar. And there every May the Nc
Kenna family are to be seen among Mary's most
devoted clients and never is there day when the
Salve Regina is not sung to their Mother by five
grateful hearts in that happy household that owes
its being to our Holy Queen."-E. S., in The Irish
Messenger.
THE WOMAN WHO ruApMe