The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-04-08


dark eyes she gazed upon face she
had not seen for ten long years. Her
own countenance blanched to a deadly
pallor. One quick throb seemed to
rend her heart, and wave of sicken-
ing fear crept over her-fear that her
mind was going. And then, throwing
back the muffled garment he knelt on
the floor at her feet-she knew it was
reality.
"Is this how I find you, my Alicia?"
he said, mournfully Like this
in these surroundings? The
ghost of my beautiful, highspirited-"
A sob choked him. He bent his gray
head until it rested on the little girls
knee The touch of the soft body
stirred him.
"Alone?" he questioned, looking
about him. Where is the man for
whom you gave up all
everything? A home, wealth, father
who adored, brothers who worshipped
you, disappearing so utterly that it
has taken all these years to discover
your whereabouts? Where is he?
Alone? Christmas Eve? Poor child,
poor child"
She shivered.
"Oh, father-it hurts!" she whis-
pered. set seems-so long-oh, it is
so long"
She would have added, "since
heard word of tenderness" but her
white lips closed over the words, SAVIOR
ing, as they did of disloyalty.
He glanced involuntarily toward the
statue of the Sacred Heart pleading.
Through our own Lord now, Ali
cia," he answered, reverently.
"You are Catholic?"
Almost since you left me. Your
obstinacy made me think, and thought
brought me to where all who ponder
on such mysteries must arrive at last
His feet
cit wasn't altogether conviction"
she said slowly. mot at first. 1t
was the ceremonial, the heart of it.,
that appealed to me. Then came your
opposition, which made me stubborn.
And then Walter Tyndall. Again you
opposed me. My pride and obstinacy
rose in arms They had been fostered
by life INDUCED in every whim.
defied you. But you, too, were aroused.
Your obstinacy matched mine. I left
my fathers house. l felt :.
my fathers house -
The burning, bitter words it took
to fill that pause. The hours or dis
illusionment, pain, sorrow, distress,
longing-and then the realization of
what her faith meant, to help her
bravely through it ALL"
Return to it," cried her father.
"On Christmas Eve it's door stands
open-open to receive you! Its well
come awaits you! Oh! blessed Christ
mas Eve, that sees my lost one under
her fathers roof, sheltered from every
storm. My last one!"
She shook her head.
''No father" u
alice, my daughter -
mo, father. The circle is incom.
plete. Here you see but the mother
and child"
| Anu your
She bent her head.
II am waiting for him"
where is he?"
II do not know"
mot know? On Christmas Eve!'
She smiled, but the smile was full
of heartbreak
''Does he drink, gamble, steal:
Does he support-support!" He
glanced contemptuously about him
"This looks it. What you have suf
fered! But it's over. You shall never
be alone again"
There was a sob in the strong
mans voice.
Poor Walter" she said, gently
"He is my husband-and I love him
He is the father of this blessing-she
has been Gods blessing to me! can
not leave him. He tries hard. Wha1
one of us has no fault? Which ONT
of us without sin? Can we who have
no thorn in the flesh judge of its rank
ling pain? Oh, no, oh, no. Thank you
my father-but all is said when re
mind you that he is my husband"
"Then I return without you. I have
found you but to lose your
mo, father" Her eyes were we
with tears. "You never lost me
you never, never lost me- love you
I love you. You are mine-my deal
father whom whom my mo
Their loved. And as my mother loved
you-I love him"
Tomorrow, dearest" he urged
Tomorrow, perhaps you will listen
do not wish to part you. He is wei
come for your sake Here!" He threw
something heavy upon the table. zee
, yourself some Christmas things, some
, gifts for the baby-my grandchild! NJ!
1ittlo orandcbildi" He hnnf above bnr