The Catholic bulletin., 1911-12-16
HER COUSINS.

| In time of sorrow a city girl re-
ceived from a cousin in distant State
letter full of sympathy. It was the
first letter she had ever received from
this cousin, and she was touched by
the warm sense of kinship that spoke
in every line One of it's sentences set
her to thinking.
when cousins are so widely sep
arated as we eight are, it seems too
bad that We can't keep in touch with
each other in some way"
AS the girl thought over these words,
she was startled to realize how little
she had kept in touch with her
cousins. There was Walter, for
example, the young electrician. Was
he still living in Philadelphia, or had
place in New Jersey. She was not
sure.
II never could carry on a CORES
pondence with them ALL" she reflected
in some dismay. Then, with amused
remembrance of the family shortcom-
ings in the correspondence line, 81
probably would have to do it all my
self if I began" Suddenly her face
cleared. "Post cards! One every
month to each of the other seven!
Even if haven't much to write, We'll
at least keep in touch"
The more she thought of this plan,
the better she liked it, and the next
day she stopped at stationery store
which displayed an endless variety of
views of the big city where she lived;
for the first sending she chose all
pictures of notable buildings. She ad-
dressed as many of these as she could,
explaining in few words her plan and
asked her cousins if they would join
her in carrying it out. Two cards
were held over until she could get the
right address.
There were only one or two
responses the first motnh, but she felt
very we'll satisfied, for one of these
came from girl cousin who could
never be coaxed into writing letter.
When the second month came around
she chose cards showing scenes in the
busy streets of the city, which were
sent with a CHEEKY word of greeting.
When the time for the third sending
came, she was fortunate in being able
to send a pretty post card picture Of
the new home into which she and her
mother had recently moved. This
brought a general response, for the
cousins were beginning to be inter
ested by this time, and the picture of
reality of the cousin who, up to this
time, had been little more than name
to some of them.
The girl herself grew more and more
interested as the months went on.
Sometimes she sent pretty views of
the city parks; sometimes her cards
showed Lake Michigan in it's various
moods. One card showed the cozy
living-room of the home, while from
another her own face smiled a greet
ing. The cards now brought an almost
unfailing response, and every month
the messages came in, from famous
West Point, from Philadelphia, from
Boston, from the Pacific Coast, for SO
widely were these eight cousins
scattered. There was one month when
the cards did not go out from Chicago
because the girl was sick, but they
came in very promptly, all freighted
with anxious inquiries.
you're not going to give up the
plan, are you?" was the question from
West Point. II hope not, for I've en-
joyed the exchange immensely"
where's our monthly messenger
Philadelphia asked. Don't disappoint
us next month"
From far-away Seattle came the
message: "To get your monthly card
is like having moments chat with
you. hope you won't give it up"
The girl smiled happily as she
leaned back in her easy-chair. Her
cousins were no longer mere names to
her, nor she to them. They had come
into touch with each other through the
monthly messages, and a real friend
ship had come to help the bond of kin
ship in drawing them together.
Indeed shan't give it up" she
said, decidedly. Il should feel as
though I had lost my cousins again