The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-10-08

him wherewithal to appease his hunger his foot
steps led him to a small town in the neighbodhood
of NictOria-an unlucky road, 1t proved to be.
In this town the rebels had strongly intrenched
themselves, and the troops of the government were
pressing along the roads; shots were freely eX-
changed in all directions, and bullets constantly
whipped by the ears of my poor young friend. In
order to protect himself as far as possible from
the murdcrous cross-fire he sought shelter at the
foot of high garden wall where an image OF the
Mother Of God stood in niche. Faithful to the
habit he had formed. he stepped up to It, and sa-
luted his Heavenly Mother with an Ave Maria
You viii understand that the prayer was very
heartfelt one. considering the dangerous clrcum-
stances in which the suppant found HIM. Ave
Maria Mother of Mercy help mel he cried aloud
IN distress. At the same instant bullet struck
him and laid him low at Our Iady's feet. Severely
wounded. he sank PROSTATE the ground A mist
swan before his eyes and there was a sound III
his ears ike muttering Of distant thunders. But
as he fell he folded his hands. and his trembling
lips repeated once more, Ave Maria,
How long he lay at the foot of the wall and
what befell him. he never knew; for he tainted
dead away. When he recovered consciousness he
was lying in a spacious room. and grave quiet
lady was sitting by his bed and tending him with
maternal kindness and solicitude. She was the
pious wife of Spaniard, the owner Of vine
yard whose garden incosed by the high wall
at the foot of which the young German had sunk
down when struck by the murderous bullet. There
he had been found at the feet Of the Mother Of
Dolores severely wounded and lying in pool of
blood. On the self-same day the afflicted par
had lost their only son through the fortune of
war and with true Christian charity and compass
sion they took the stranger in and cherished HIM
as if he had been their own son until he had per-
fectly recovered
"In order in some measure to show his graft
tude for their kindness, he remained with the be-
reaved couple, worked hard and i'll his capacity
of cooper, made himself very useful to them. And,
like the patriarch Jacob Of whom YOU have read
in Scripture. in process of time he married the
daughter of his benefactor, and in conjunction
with his father-in-law, established most pros
porous business When he died two years ago
his wife having preceded him to the grave-he
bequeathed to his sons besides his business con
siderable amount Of property. And whom had he
to thank for his great and unlocked for good for
tune! Mary, the ever blessed Mother of God
whom he never forgot to salute whenever he passed
by an image of her. DO you, my boy, initiate his
example, and lay to heart the beautiful motto.
Read it out for me once more.
That is not necessary. grandfather, proudly
returned the boy, for | know it by heart already:
3" If the name Of Holy Mary is craven on thy
heart,
Say an Ave, pious pilgrim, wheresoever thou art
In the meantime darkness had set in. From
the tower of the church near by sounded three
solemn strokes of the bell Henrys mother entered,
placed lighted lamp the table and said:
The Angelus is ringing; let say It..
And the Angelic Salutation had never been
more devoutly repeated by the little group than
it was on that evening.-Ave Maria.