The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-01-22
LTLY,s FIRST COMMUNION.

Il happy, mamma, to know that / am
going to make my first communion today" said
Little Lily Allen to her mother, who was dressing
her for that greatest of banquets.
yes child, l am happy, too, to think that you
are to receive your God for the first time this
morning. / trust that you will pray fervently to
our Lord and His Blessed Mother for grace to love
your holy religion more and more" and Mrs. Allen
gently wiped a tear from her eyes and stopped
speaking.
Mamma, are you crying? Why, you said you
were happy" said Lily, and she looked with sorrow
at her mother
Il am happy, little girl, but I was"
"Well, why are you crying" said Lily, not Civ
ing her mother time to finish what she intended
saying. Il guess | know what is the matter MAN.
ma, dear; you are thinking of papa, aren't you? [
have been thinking of him every day while [
in retreat. Sister told us that whatever we asked
for today we would surely receive, so | intend Of
ferng my first holy communion for papa"
Lily Allen was twelve years old, but IN expert
ence she was much older. She was her mothers
constant companion, and what troubled the mother
also troubled the child. She never sought little
girls of her own age to play with; her mother was
everything to her.
Mrs. Allen, when a young girl, had many ad-
mirers but unfortunately she fell in love with
who was not of her faith True he was good look
ing and wealthy, and to the world In general a
good catch She was warned by her parents to have
nothing to do with William Allen, as he was not a
Catholic and would not make good husband, for
he was too fond of "having good time" But she
loved mot wisely but too WELL" and in spite of the
warnings from her confessor and parents she mar
RED William Allen.
They we're married but a short time when he
began to ridicue her for going to confession, fast
ing, etc He and those with whom he associated
were, in the strict sense of the word, men OF the
world; religion they had none. "a good time" was
-f IL Ia
be asked: "Allen, if you have children, are you
going to 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 to believe all the Pope says
He wasn't going to be Coke" at the club because
his wife was fool was what the wife heard nearly
every other night.
At last day came when little girl was born
to them While the mother was happy with her
first born still she was sad for she knew that her
little girl could never openly profess her faith II
she lived William Allen swore that his child would
never Ineel to a priest When the baby was four
weeks old she was baptized secretly but she never
went to a 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,
never took his wife and child out other good
men do. Her ambitions were not his, her ways not
ms 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
girl going to receive her God for the first time;
that God whom her father would have her deny.
Mrs Aliens married life had been a perpetual